On Thu, 17 Dec 2015 22:55:01 -0000 (UTC), "M. Stradbury"
wrote:

I just bought a house with a 1,000 gallon propane tank owned
by the house and property tax is paid on the tank which is
a California-only thing I hear.

They just filled the tank up to 85% (they wouldn't fill further
they told my wife, otherwise it could blow up, they said).

Best not to fill it all the way then, but consult with your clergyman.

They told me the price is $1.45 per gallon of propane plus
about a twenty dollar "hazmat" fee whatever that means, for a
total price a bit over a thousand dollars for the fill.

They said they "inspected" the system (which was existing), and
they inspected the tank which is on on four-inch thick concrete
slab bolted down by straps for earthquakes),

That's ridiculous. How could those straps cause earthquakes?

and they charge $100
for that inspection (my wife let them in the house but she doesn't
know what they did).

I never had propane before.
I don't begrudge them anything.

But, I also don't know what's normal.
Is this normal stuff?

You could call another local company, as if you were a prospective
customer. Don't lie, just say you want to know the charges. Some day
you may move again so you can say you expect to move. I'd be really
surpised if they made up the hazmat fee or changed more than they
should, because for 20 dollars it's not worth losing a customer.

As to inspection, someone can always agree to get a service, and they
will change what they charge. One should ask how much first. If they
said, We're not going to fill your tank unless you let us inspect the
system and the charge is $100, what would you do? I can see why they
want to inspect. Even if they wouldn't be legally liable, they don't
want to morally liable or to have anything remotely to do with an
explosion, and who knows what condition the previous owners left it
in. Even if you had a house inspection, they vary in quality and
usually don't have propane specialists doing them.

I'm sure someone would have filled your tank no questions asked. If
I can find someone who will say my car passed its safety inspecition
even though he didn't inspect it or doesn't know how, there are
people who would fill your tank. Plus others who aren't old enough or
educated enough or mature enough to foresee what can go wrong, who
wouldnt' think they were doing anything wrong. Who might not be
doing anything wrong by many standards, because after it's your
responsibility and you probably had a home inspection before you
bought the house.


My buddy just had his house inspected so he could refinance the
mortgage. She was thorough compared to the previous guy, took her 50
minutes, plus travel time, plus maybe another hour's work at home,
(plus she loses time when some people cancel when she's already there
or on the way and she's not going to sue etc.) but she charges $400.
At least $100 an hour when she's working. She started off a a
secretary in their office, then someone lost his driver's license and
she had to drive him around, and she saw what he did and said, "Hey I
could do that".