Removal of The Tank (as referred to in an earlier post) - VF
On day 1 of the 'basement project' a major issue was discovered by the 'basement guys'. Back in the far corner of the laundry under the stairs was a huge old diesel tank. This posed a problem for them as they needed to access all aspects of the perimeter of the basement. There was much 'hmmmmmm-ing' and shaking of heads and consulting of the job plan (which did not show the monstrosity under the stairs). We came to the conclusion that the house had probably been built around the tank and so the chances of getting it out (let alone up the extremely narrow staircase) were rather slim. After lunch Tyson came to me with great glee and said that his boys had managed to move it several feet and thus could get their job done. Jamie and I had discussed the need to get rid of it for once and for all and so I asked them if they could move it further, like, how about out to their truck. He hesitated and said it wasn't part of their job but when I suggested it might be worth it for 50 bucks each, he quickly reconsidered. The next day he came to me again and said that his boss had come when they were in the process of moving it toward the stairs and said that they were not to touch it as it was not on their job sheet. He had however emptied at least 15 gallons of diesel out (plus what was on the floor) and they could possibly consider coming back on the weekend but seeing as they lived 80 miles away and had to get a truck, he couldn't arrange it for less that $200. "Deal" I said (how else was I going to find a willing crew of tank removalists for a 60 yr old tank 1/4 full of decades-old diesel???). Sunday morning dawned bright and early and there they were yet again attending to what had become task 1 of every day - removal of the back door. Eventually, with only 2-3 millimetres to spare and $200, one squashed finger, a strained knee and a confession from 3 burly men of a week of sleepless nights thinking about logistics later, the evil tank was on it's way to becoming a pit-oven in a back garden (back yard) far away beyond the other side of town. The pictures speak for themselves....