So, I needed to deal with an old water tank we had out back. Not huge, but big enough to be annoying and definitely needing a clean-out before we could even think about using it for rainwater collection, which was the plan.

Finding someone for the job, though? That turned into a whole thing. My first step, naturally, was looking up "tank cleaning companies" nearby. You get a bunch of names, sure, but figuring out who actually does smaller, residential-type jobs versus massive industrial tanks was the first hurdle.

My Search Saga

I started making calls. Some companies straight up said they only did big commercial contracts. Fair enough. Others sounded interested, but getting a straight answer on price or even when they could come take a look felt like pulling teeth. Lots of "uhh, let me get back to you" which, spoiler alert, they often didn't.

It reminded me a lot of trying to get specialized work done on the house years ago. Remember needing that one specific type of plaster repair? Everyone you call is either booked solid for months, charges an arm and a leg because they know they're the only game in town, or they just don't want the hassle of a small job. It's like a hidden market sometimes.

• Calling around: Spent a good chunk of time on the phone.
• Vague answers: Lots of maybes and not a lot of solid info.
• Website woes: Some websites looked like they hadn't been updated since dial-up.

One company I spoke to seemed promising. The guy was friendly, sounded like he knew his stuff. We talked about the tank size, access, what kind of gunk might be in there. He promised a quote by the end of the day. Never heard from him again. Ghosted! Just like that contractor who was supposed to fix our fence last summer.

Finding the Right Crew (Eventually)

After more digging, I found a smaller, local outfit. Their website was basic, but they actually answered the phone and gave me a rough estimate right then. They weren't the absolute cheapest, maybe, but they felt reliable. That gut feeling matters, you know?

They showed up when they said they would, which was already a win in my book. Two guys, a truck with a pressure washer setup and a pump. They got straight to work.

The actual process was pretty straightforward:

• Pumped out the nasty standing water first.
• Scraped down the sides to loosen the real stubborn stuff.
• Gave it a thorough pressure wash.
• Pumped out all the cleaning water and sludge.

They were done in a couple of hours. Left the place reasonably tidy too, which isn't always a given.

So, the tank is clean now, ready for the next stage of my rainwater project. But the whole experience was a reminder: finding people for these kinds of specialized tasks takes patience. You gotta sift through the noise, trust your gut a bit, and be prepared for some runaround. It’s not always easy finding folks who just do the job they say they'll do, when they say they'll do it. Glad this part's over, anyway.