Frustrated with Failure: Connecticut's Crumbling Concrete

Imagine learning that your biggest investment, your home, rested on a failing foundation. Water leaks in, large cracks occur, and you wonder if your home – your safe haven – might simply collapse. Unfortunately, hundreds of people aren’t merely imagining this situation. Homeowners in a large area of North Central Connecticut have discovered crumbling foundations, hairline cracks, and foundation failure. To make matters worse, in almost every case, insurance companies have refused to pay for these damages and have even cancelled or not renewed the policies of affected homes.

How did this happen?

According to the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, home inspections have shown that pyrrhotite, an iron sulfide mineral, oxidized in the concrete, causing it to expand. This expansion lead to cracking and the eventual crumbling of the foundations. This type of damage and crumbling can occur years after the foundation is poured. Homes in Connecticut with these failing foundations were built in the 1980s and 1990s.

The other common factor was that concrete from JJ Mottes Company was used in these crumbling foundations. Joseph Callahan, chief building official in Coventry, RI, who is quoted in this article, states that he has never found a foundation failure using another company’s concrete. Investigations, inspections, and legal proceedings continue, but homeowners are simply seeking the best, most economical solution.

Are YOU a homeowner affected by these failing foundations and crumbling concrete? Kettelle Building Movers can help.

When we learned what our Connecticut neighbors have dealt with because of these foundation issues, we wanted to help. Kettelle Building Movers has the equipment, experience, and expertise to be the solution.

We have the largest inventory of equipment in the area, serving all of Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Southeastern Massachusetts. With our years of experience relocating buildings and doing concrete work, we are confident that we can take on this devastating concrete crisis. We hope to bring back the peace of mind of knowing your home is safe. We can lift and move your home while a new foundation can be poured. Or, should a homeowner decide to move the house completely to a new parcel of land, we can transport the home to its new location. In many cases, KBM’s services are the most cost-effective way to repair this problem.

Please visit our website to learn more about our services, and please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions at 401.295.2329. 

Introducing Kettelle Building Movers

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.