Oil Tank Replacement
A new bunded tank, fitted to the rules by an OFTEC-registered installer, and the old one taken away.
Typical installed prices
Supply, fitting and old tank removed · November 2026
| Tank size | Usually suits | Bunded plastic | Bunded steel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 to 1,250 litres | Two or three bedrooms | £1,900to£2,900 | £2,600to£3,800 |
| 1,300 to 1,500 litres | Three or four bedrooms | £2,200to£3,200 | £2,900to£4,200 |
| 1,800 to 2,000 litres | Four or five bedrooms, Aga | £2,600to£3,700 | £3,300to£4,700 |
| 2,500 litres | Large house, farm | £3,000to£4,500 | £3,800to£5,500 |
National guide figures, a guide and not a quote. A new base, longer pipe runs or a fire wall add to them; see the cost estimator.
Get a quoteWhat we can help with
- Oil tank installation
A new tank where there was none, or in a new position away from the house.
- Bunded oil tank replacement
An old single-skin tank swapped for one with a built-in second skin.
- Steel oil tank replacement
Rusting steel tanks out; a new steel or plastic bunded tank in.
- Oil tank removal
Pumping out, cutting up and taking away a tank you no longer need.
- Leaking oil tank
What to do in the first hour, and replacing the tank afterwards.
Signs your tank is due
20 yrs
The working life OFTEC, the heating oil trade body, expects from a well-installed tank. Most leaks come from tanks past that age, and from the pipe joints and base around them.
- It is 20 years old or more
- OFTEC puts the expected working life of a well-fitted tank at around 20 years. Plastic turns brittle with sunlight long before it looks it.
- Bulges, splits or white stress marks
- Look hardest at the corners, the base and around the outlet. A bulging side means the wall is losing its shape under the weight of oil.
- Rust, weeping seams or staining
- On steel tanks, flaking paint on the underside and dark stains on the supports are the warning, not the rust you can see on top.
- There is no bund
- A single-skin tank has nothing to catch a leak. Most replacements today are bunded, and some sites must be (see the rules below).
- The base is cracked or sinking
- A tilted tank strains its outlet and pipework. The base has to be flat, non-combustible and bigger than the tank all round.
- Your supplier will not fill it
- Drivers can refuse a delivery to a tank that looks unsafe. If that happens, replacement is usually the only way to get oil again.
Ticked one or more of those? A replacement now is cheaper than a clean-up later.
Get a quotePlastic or steel
Both come bunded, in the same sizes. The choice is mostly about where the tank stands and how long you want it to last.
| Point | Bunded plastic | Bunded steel |
|---|---|---|
| Price, 1,200 litres fitted | about £1,900 to £2,900 | about £2,600 to £3,800 |
| Upkeep | Almost none. Keep it out of the worst sun if you can. | Repaint every few years; keep the inside free of water to stop rust. |
| Lifespan | Around 20 years. | Similar, longer when kept painted. |
| Fire resistance | Fire-protected models exist for tight spots near the house. | Non-combustible, though the distance rules still apply. |
| Best for | Most homes and holiday lets. | Farms, larger sizes, exposed yards and anywhere theft or impact is a risk. |
Price ranges summarised from three UK cost guides dated 2024 to 2026. Single-skin tanks cost less but have no second skin to catch a leak.
The rules, in plain words
A new or replacement heating oil tank is building work. In England it must meet Approved Document J of the Building Regulations, which covers the base, the distances from the house and the boundary, the fire valve on the supply pipe, and a label telling you what to do if oil escapes.
The simplest way to stay legal is an installer on a competent person scheme such as OFTEC. They sign the job off themselves and you get a certificate, which you will want when you sell. Use anyone else and the council's building control team has to be told in advance and paid to inspect.
A bund, a second skin that holds 110% of the tank, is required where a spill could reach water or a drain, where the fill point cannot see the vent, or where the tank holds more than 2,500 litres. The other three UK nations write their building rules separately, but in practice they ask for the same distances.
Farm fuel kept for machinery is different: over 1,500 litres it falls under separate storage rules and the Environment Agency must hear about new stores at least 14 days ahead. Heating oil for the farmhouse follows the household rules. The full regulations page has the detail and the official sources.
Taking the old tank away
Most replacements start with an old tank that still has oil in it. A good installer times the job for when you are low, then pumps what is left into a temporary bowser or straight into the new tank once it is in place. Sludge and water from the bottom of an old tank are not worth keeping and go for disposal.
The empty tank is then cut up on site. Plastic tanks are usually recycled; steel goes for scrap. Whoever carries it away should be a registered waste carrier, which you can check on GOV.UK in a minute.
If the ground under the old tank smells of oil or is stained, say so before the new base goes down. Contaminated soil is far cheaper to deal with now than after a new tank sits on top of it.
| Extra | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Removing and disposing of an old tank | £250 to £600 |
| New concrete or slab base | £250 to £750 |
| New supply pipe and fire valve | £300 to £700 |
| Fire protection where distances cannot be met | £100 to £400 |
| Building control, if the installer cannot self-certify | £150 to £300 |
From three UK cost guides dated 2024 to 2026. VAT is rarely stated; ask for every price on the same basis.
How a replacement day runs
One day on site for most homes. You are without heating for a few hours in the middle of it.
| Before the day | Survey and priceThe installer checks the size you need, the base, the distances and how the tank gets in and out. |
|---|---|
| Morning | Drain and removeOil is pumped off, the supply is isolated and the old tank is cut up and loaded away. |
| Midday | Base and new tankThe base is checked or laid, the new tank set level, and the supply pipe and fire valve connected. |
| Afternoon | Refill and sign offOil goes back in, the boiler is relit and tested, and you get the certificate and the spill label. |
If oil is leaking now
Stop the flow if you safely can, keep oil out of drains with sand, soil or absorbent pads, and do not hose it away. If it could reach a stream, ditch or well, ring the Environment Agency incident line on 0800 80 70 60, then your insurer. The Environment Agency warns that clean-up can run to tens of thousands of pounds.
Once the leak is contained, the tank almost always has to be replaced. Our leaking oil tank guide walks through the first hour and what an insurer will ask for. Sources: GOV.UK oil storage at home, Environment Agency.
Oil tank replacement questions
How much does oil tank replacement cost?
Most homes pay £1,900 to £4,500 for a new bunded tank fitted, with the old one removed. A 1,200 litre bunded plastic tank sits around £2,500; large steel tanks and awkward access push it higher. See the cost estimator.
How long does an oil tank last?
Around 20 years if it was well fitted and looked after, according to OFTEC. Steel tanks kept painted can go longer; plastic tanks in full sun can fail sooner.
Do I need a bunded oil tank?
You must have one if the tank holds more than 2,500 litres, is within 10 metres of water or 50 metres of a well, borehole or spring, or meets any of the other conditions on GOV.UK. Most installers fit bunded tanks as standard now anyway.
Can I replace an oil tank myself?
It is not a DIY job. The work falls under Building Regulations, so it needs either an installer registered with a competent person scheme such as OFTEC, who can self-certify it, or a building notice and inspection from your council.
How far does an oil tank have to be from the house?
1.8 metres from the building and 760 millimetres from a boundary, unless there is a fire wall or fire-rated construction in between. The regulations page explains the options.
What happens to the old tank?
The installer drains any oil (it can often go straight into the new tank), cuts the old tank up and takes it away for recycling or licensed disposal. Expect £250 to £600 if it is priced separately.
Will my home insurance pay for a new tank?
Rarely. Insurers pay for sudden damage, not a tank that has worn out. Many also limit cover for cleaning up spilled oil, which OFTEC says can cost more than £20,000.
How long does it take to replace an oil tank?
Usually one day on site, sometimes two if a new base has to be laid and left to cure. You are normally without heating for a few hours.
Get a quote for your oil tank
Three steps: the postcode, the tank, and how to reach you. It takes a couple of minutes at most.
We are a free introduction service, not an installer. We find an OFTEC-registered tank installer who covers your postcode and tell you their name; that firm only hears from us once you give the go-ahead.
Got it. Your tank details are with us.
- Within a working day we look for an OFTEC-registered installer covering your area and let you know who it is.
- If you are happy, that one firm gets your details. If not, they go nowhere.
- The installer checks the base, the distances and the access, then gives you a written price. We never send marketing.