Bauges Enthusiast

Thanks very much for the links... Very helpful. I'll definitely be looking at getting in a pro, it will be interesting to see what the cost is. Cheers,

Hello all, I am renovating part of a holiday home in La Compote (near Chambery, Lescheraines area), and there is a part of one room that houses an old steel oil tank, which is now disconnected as we have a plastic tank in the cellar instead. I am going to be removing all the surrounding brickwork to be able to get to the old tank.... and then will need to remove it. I am trying to figure out ways to get rid of the thing... and I know that of course cutting it with an angle grinder is dangerous.... I have asked a local to see if he can speak to a farmer to see if they could help remove with a tractor, but that may not work out. What have others done in the past? Does anyone know if there is actually a type of service for removing oil tanks, or companies that might want to take it away? Regards, Ben

Hi all, I have a big old steel heating oil tank in my french holiday home which has been completely bricked in many years back. It is likely to be 5000 L, and has a gauge that suggests the same. I definitely want it out of its current position because I would like to renovate the barn area that it sits in. The plan is to get a used 2000 L plastic version (double skinned I believe) from my neighbour out there. I would then sit it in the cellar (not a normal cellar really) because of the drop of the land, it is underneath the front room and slightly under the boiler room itself, and the room itself has a small window out to the garden, and is linked to another cellar room....it's quite airy is what I am trying to say. The cellar ceiling is quite substantial and is of concrete and girder construction. I may need to make a bit of modification to get the tank in through the cellar door as it is 1800mm high, and the doorway is slightly less.... which is a pain, but that can be sorted. I have talked with the french heating guy about options, and he seems happy to site it there, but when he comes to do the work, if any issues arise, he will site it upstairs in the barn, but of course it is smaller and will be sited next to the boiler room itself..... not ideal as I dont want to give up any of the barn area, but such is life. Can anyone on here see any issues in my plans? Or can anyone see some cunning solutions? Failing that, worst case scenario I guess I can look for a smaller tank..... which leads me onto what seems like a silly question.... what is the 'proper' french language way to search for 'heating oil tank'... because it doesnt really come up with what I need on google when I simply translate that! Cheers!

All good points.... thanks all.... yeah I guess it makes sense that skips would cost a lot. Perhaps I will just buy a trailer out there (my car has a towbar), but chatting with some locals may bear fruit on that score. Good point about the terrace, I am planning on extending the existing balcony, so the ground level for that underneath wouldnt see any sun and therefore would be best if it were concreted (using the concrete blocks as a base....). Cheers,

Hello there, Total newbie... I just bought a holiday home in Massif des Bauges and am going to gradually make it more of a home from home. I wondered what the scenario was in France for skip hire etc? One of the first jobs is to knock an internal wall down and put a big wooden beam in place... and I am guessing the underlying block will not be something I want to keep... Cheers all!