Today we’d like to introduce you to Bill Rietveld.
Bill, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started in this business when I was 25 years old when a friend of mine said his father wanted to sell his business. Two men named Ken and Rich started Ken-Rich Concrete, a Mudjacking (Concrete Raising)/Epoxy/New Concrete business. In 1985, my brother and I bought the Epoxy covering portion of the business. A year later, the Mudjacking/New Concrete portion was for sale, and we bought that portion as well. We were now the proud owners of Ken-Rich Concrete!
After many years, we realized that mudjacking was a solution to a variety of homeowner problems including eliminating tripping hazards and water build up around the foundation. Mudjacking became a very popular solution because it was half the cost of replacing the concrete! Due to demand, we decided to focus solely on Mudjacking.
Not long into our mudjacking endeavor, we started getting calls to help fix foundations that were sinking and/or needed to be stabilized. My brother and I went to the World of Concrete in 1988 in Atlanta, Georgia where we discovered the Helical Foundation Pier to raise and stabilize settled foundations. After this discovery and training, we started offering foundation raising and repair with Helical Piers.
This led to the invention of the Tru-Lift Bracket. Part of installing a Helical Pier is the bracket which fastens the pier to the foundation. As a chain is as strong as its weakest link, the pier is only as strong as its bracket. Realizing the weakness of the original bracket, I co-developed and patented a new bracket that was easier to use and stronger than the original. I called it, the Tru-Lift Bracket and it is used nationwide today.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Overall, I wouldn’t call it a smooth road but one that requires a lot of hard work. That hard work has taught me perseverance and dedication. There were days when we worked 12+ hours and my brother, Bob, was the only one in the office. He had to take care of all the paperwork, invoices, employees etc. There were mountains to climb after he passed away in 2008, leaving us to take over the office side of the business. Thankfully, my family rallied together to get the business back on its feet. God has been with us the entire way and has been faithful to provide.
Currently, 3 of my 6 children work for Ken-Rich, making it truly a family business. We are proud to be a family business that emphasizes quality work and moral business practices. In 2018, we offer many more services that we did when it first started from foundation repair, foundation wall straightening, crack repair, concrete sealing, and void filling. I must say that when I look back upon our successful 2017 season, I am very humbled and blessed by how far we have come since 1985.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Ken-Rich Concrete Lifting – what should we know?
Ken-Rich Concrete Lifting is known throughout the Chicagoland area as the premier Mudjacking (concrete raising) company, taking care of all concrete settlement and repair needs. We can raise sidewalks, stoops, stairs, patios, pool decks, driveways, garage floors, and indoor floors (factory, kitchen, laundry etc.). Mudjacking concrete can solve water problems, safety hazards, home inspection dings, and voids underneath the concrete. Another primary service is foundation raising, stabilization, and repair.
We have two ways to repair foundations: 1. Helical piers with brackets will lift a foundation that is sinking and stop vertical movement; 2. Wall Tie-Backs will straighten bowed-in basement walls and stop further horizontal movement.
We are a family-owned business for the last 35 years and offer different types of repair and variety of solutions. We solve problems for people who would otherwise not know who to turn to.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Honesty and high moral standards. We want to be a company that people want to work with and is trustworthy. We put a lot of emphasis on offering quality work at a fair price.
Contact Info:
- Address: 15510 Wentworth Avenue South Holland, IL 60473
- Website: kenrichraise.com
- Phone: 708-331-8251
- Email: office@kenrichrasie.com
- Instagram: kenrichrasie
- Facebook: kenrichconcretelifting
- Twitter: Kenrich_raise
Image Credit:
Dolly Partons Dixie Stampede
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