The idea for Kettelle Building Movers (KBM) was born in 1964 when Grant “Pike” Kettelle began purchasing homes that needed to be relocated. As he began seeking out places to relocate to, he found that many of the building moving companies were occupied with other projects. He met and developed a close relationship with a local building mover from South Kingstown, Rhode Island, who, at the time, was growing aged and tired. Grant worked with him to learn the trade.
In the years that followed, Grant traveled to Newburgh, New York and eventually purchased the assets of a mover that was going out of business. As time went on, Grant began moving and raising homes and buildings in the Washington and Kent Counties of Rhode Island. His most notable move of Kettelle’s early years was the relocation of the North Kingstown High School administrative buildings – two office buildings measuring 55’ x 105’ each.
Kettelle’s company grew and acquired more equipment as time went on. In 1992, Grant and son Scott formally established a general partnership and continued to serve the area with pride and professionalism. In 2010, Grant and Scott acquired the assets of another local firm that was going out of business. This purchase more than doubled the size of the business in terms of equipment and capability.
During the last six years, the company has expanded and serves the areas of Connecticut, Southeastern Massachusetts, and all of Rhode Island. Throughout the past four years, they have raised dozens of homes in order to achieve FEMA Compliance and continued to relocate homes and buildings to more desirable locations.
Since Grant started out as a property owner who sought the services of a building mover, he has the unique perspective of knowing what it’s like to be in the customer’s position. He understood, and passed that knowledge on to his son Scott, that moving a structure can come with a lot of uncertainty. They strive to make the building moving experience as stress-free as possible. KBM continues to provide expert excavation services, structural raising, and structural relocation services to Connecticut, Southeastern Mass., and Rhode Island with the same integrity and professionalism that they’ve had since the 60’s.