Throughout his career, Richard played a significant role in shaping the structural moving industry. He served as President of the International Association of Structural Movers (IASM), helping to elevate standards, foster collaboration and promote innovation across the profession. His leadership extended beyond individual projects, contributing to the advancement of best practices recognized across North America.

Richard also proudly served his country as a member of the United States Army and the Naval Reserve. His service reflected the same dedication, discipline and sense of responsibility that defined both his professional life and his commitment to others.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Richard was known for his warmth, generosity and love of life. He enjoyed music, dancing, traveling, gardening and flying, holding a commercial pilot’s license. Above all, he was devoted to his family and shared a remarkable 74 year marriage with his beloved wife, Patricia.

He is survived by his wife Patricia Deitz; his children Patricia Green, Daniel Deitz and Debra Hyatt; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, along with a legacy of family, colleagues and community members who were impacted by his life and work.

Deitz House Moving Engineers will continue its fourth generation tradition of excellence, honoring Richard’s legacy through its ongoing commitment to quality, innovation and service.

Deitz House Moving Engineers has proudly served West Michigan for over 80 years. Their award winning team offers expertise in structural moving, building raising, under-house excavation, foundation and basement repair or replacement, building leveling, shoring, underpinning, hydraulic jacking and more.

Media Contact:  
Deitz House Moving Engineers, Inc.  
Daniel Deitz, CEO
(231) 773-8964
deitzmovers@aol.com
www.deitzhousemovers.com

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​To Those Who Have Supported Our Family Business Across Generations,

Walter Deitz had a knack for knowing how machines worked. If he wasn't sure, he'd take the thing apart, figure it out, and put it back together like new. He had an unwavering willingness to tackle any challenge. When he was just 13 years old, he built a motorcycle from parts he found or bartered from around the family farm. His little sister was amazed when it started, and Walter rode it until his interest turned to cars and trucks.

​In 1945, with a wife and six children to feed, Walter was contacted about a house that needed to be moved. Using his 1936 International semi-truck, a homemade lowboy trailer, and his mechanical wits, Walter and his 13-year-old son, Richard, successfully moved the house for a very happy customer. Deitz House Moving Engineers was born. It is a thrill for me, Daniel Deitz, to announce the 80th anniversary of this still family-owned Muskegon, Michigan business started by my grandfather and father.

​Deitz House Moving Engineers Inc. has a long history of excellence and innovation. In the early years, they used wooden timbers as main support beams. As homes and other buildings grew in size, it became necessary to evolve from transporting on a trailer to using componentized dollies. The first set of Laplante steel-wheeled dollies Walter used made crossing soft ground slow and time-consuming due to a lack of substantial traction material. Additionally, the steel wheels would damage asphalt pavement during the summer heat.

​To solve those problems, Walter built the first set of rubber-wheeled dollies in the 1950s. We still have that set today, a tribute to my grandfather's ingenuity. Throughout the '50s, houses were jacked up with mechanical screw jacks. The crew would turn the screws using 5-foot-long steel bars inserted into the screw jack heads. This was a long and labor-intensive process that could take days to complete. In the early 1960s Walter purchased a unified hydraulic jacking unit, allowing houses to be lifted evenly through the use of a remote pumping unit. This state-of-the-art system was the first of its kind in Michigan.

Walter Deitz operated the company until his untimely death in 1971. His son, Richard Deitz, purchased the company at that time and continued growing it. I helped during the summers and joined him full time after graduating high school. We have increased our capacity for moving larger and more fragile buildings. We purchased several hydraulic dollies which allow us to float large and fragile historic buildings on a cushion of hydraulic oil. We also purchased tons and tons of massive steel beams to add support and stability to the buildings we are entrusted to move. We continue to be innovators in the industry. We have had the honor of moving several buildings that exceed the 1,000,000-pound gross load. The largest building we have moved to date came in at a whopping 1,150,000 pounds.

​​We are proud to be charter members of the International Association of Structural Movers, an elite group that brings the best and brightest people in the industry together to advance new methods and increased safety measures around the globe. Richard Deitz served as president of the IASM in the 1990s and I was honored to serve as president in 2001. Richard retired after serving nearly six decades in the industry. Today, as CEO of Deitz House Moving Engineers Inc., I bring 50 years of experience in structural moving. It's still a thrill to see a project through, saving a beautiful home or business from tumbling into Lake Michigan or being destroyed for new construction.

​The early 21st century has been an exciting period for technological advancements. Not only do we have new tools available to perform physical work, but the viability of computers and the internet have presented opportunities to engineer and implement all types of projects. Computer-aided drawing and three-dimensional design have allowed projects to be completely engineered virtually. Marketing has quickly evolved from newspaper ads and the phone book to Facebook pages and websites. Emails and texts have replaced phone calls and faxes. Information technology now allows for constant real-time communication with the entire team.

​At DHM, we embrace all available technology and utilize it to its greatest capacity. The 21st century has also marked a period of growth and expansion for our company. We diversified our services so we not only move houses, we provide under-house excavation, building leveling, straightening, stabilization and lifting. As a licensed Residential Builder, we also offer general contracting services including structural moving, excavation, foundation work, flatwork, and carpentry. For those who prefer a hands-off experience, we provide Turnkey Services.

​In 2019, we relocated the 150 year old Francis Lilley Mansion in Spring Lake, Michigan. As we moved the historic building along tightly tree-lined streets, we were joined by a massive gallery of appreciative spectators. It was gratifying to hear their cheers and applause as we navigated our route. Being partners in preserving every building we move is something we take very seriously. It is a privilege to be involved with saving pieces of the past.

In 2024, we completed another historic project in Muskegon, Michigan, which showcased the expertise of our talented crew. With perfect accuracy, a 1800s Italianate Home was maneuvered through several downtown Muskegon city blocks. We were grateful, again, to have spectators cheering and videotaping along the way. 

​As we celebrate 80 years of Deitz House Moving Engineers Inc. I am proud and blessed to lead a talented and hardworking team dedicated to upholding our legacy of quality service and innovation. We continuously refine our methods, expand our equipment, and take on increasingly complex projects. Together, we still pride ourselves on our unwavering willingness to tackle any challenge and look forward to strengthening, protecting, and preserving homes and businesses for many years to come. 

​Sincerely, 
Daniel Deitz
CEO Deitz House Moving Engineers, Inc

To learn more about the Deitz House Moving legacy, please visit About Us. Want to know how our team can assist you? Contact Us today,

Deitz House Moving is harnessing the power of social media to share our story. With our NEW 'Behind the Scenes' Youtube playlist, viewers can catch a glimpse of a day in the life of a structural mover.​

With the goal of educating the community and raising awareness of the house moving industry, Deitz hopes to inspire a new generation of home owners to consider recycling structures. Watch skilled structural engineers dig in as they lift, stabilize, build, excavate, and move heavy structures.

​Well, we have done it. Deitz House Moving has been setting the standard in structural engineering for over 70 years. Our top of the line equipment together with 115 years of combined structural moving experience, allows Deitz House Moving Engineers to safely transport even the heaviest and most fragile of structures. Our talented team utilizes state of the art, industry standard, CAD systems and unified hydraulic jacking for exceptional precision and design. Structures “float” on innovative transportation systems carrying them along as they are being relocated to their new home.

​The projects featured in our portfolio are only the tip of the iceberg. The Deitz Team has moved historical structures, commercial structures, beloved homes, trains, planes, churches, and so much more. We have stabilized, lifted, preserved, relocated, and repaired structures throughout our community at the highest quality. So are we entitled to a little bragging? I think so. Share our enthusiasm for a job well done and follow Deitz House Moving today.

I love house moving. I have been a house mover for over forty years. If I include the years I worked while attending high school, even longer. I have to say that I have always enjoyed moving buildings. Picking up a built in place structure, placing it on wheels, and rolling down the road is an amazingly gratifying occupation. Many people ask how I got into house moving and where I learned how to do it.

Deitz House Moving Engineers is a family business. House moving is an art form industry which is often shared from generation to generation. My grandfather shared his knowledge with my father, my father shared it with me, and now I'm sharing it with my son. It would have been wonderful to have worked on a job with my grandfather, unfortunately, by the time I was old enough to work on the jobsite, he had passed away.

Deitz House Moving Engineers is a fourth generation family owned and operated company with over seventy years of excellence. By hiring Deitz to complete your project, you can be confident that the job will exceed your expectations. Our accumulated knowledge and experience gives our company a unique understanding of moving heavy and fragile structures, repairing foundations, preserving historical structures, and so much more.

​Please visit our About Us page and contact Deitz House Moving Engineers for your next job.

​For our first Throw Back Thursday post, I have chosen a unique job we completed for the Yankee Air Museum in 2007. The structure was originally a school building which was built by Henry Ford in 1938. Donated to the Air Park after a devastating fire destroyed much of the Yankee Air Museum, Deitz House Moving Engineers was commissioned to relocate the structure.

The building was constructed from cinder blocks made from coal cinders salvaged from the Rouge Plant in Dearborn, MI. The school was built within a block of the Willow Run Bomber plant where Ford was producing B-24s. During WWII, it is said that children of female workers, dubbed "Rosie the Riveter", attended school there.

In 2007, we moved the school across the Willow Run Airport to its new location where it became the temporary headquarters for The Yankee Air Museum and eventually The Yankee Air Museum David & Andrea Robertson Education Center housing the museums library and archives.

If you have a commercial or historical structure and want to know how Deitz House Moving Engineers can assist you, please contact our team. Deitz is pleased to preserve the past so it can be enjoyed for generations to come.