Empire Today®

The salesperson was punctual. He brought the product to my home. He tried to get the sale on the spot. I thought the price seemed very high. I contacted another vendor and found out that the Empire sales person added 100 sq. ft. more then I needed. Also, the pricing was almost double. The sale price advertised (50% off) was not a real sale price. I was quoted $6,000 for one room of engineered hardwood flooring. I was able to purchase the same product for $3,100 installed. Please get more then one vendor to provide a price. Empire tries to get you to sign on the spot since they will install the next day. Empire gets a "F" rating.

After 3 reschedules and speaking with the company 5+ times I finally got the guy to come out and give me a quote. They quoted a discount price of $6653 for 491 sq feet of tile, 3 times the next highest quote I received. The tile selection was extremely poor and they guy was worse than a used car salesman. The last few times i spoke with someone they said they were going to have a manager contact me. Its been 2 weeks since they first said that. Don't think I'm ever going to hear from a manager.

I called back this morning 07/09/2013 and was told the corporate officer Caroline would call me within 2 hours. as expected I did not receive any kind of callback, I will not be using or suggesting them for anything

I tried to explain our situation to two phone representatives and a manager and they just continued to say no. The house smells like urine and they expected us to spend hours their looking over samples.

See above, cancelled the order.

Wen you sign up with Empire Today - Orlando for an appointment, they literally just come to your home and show you all the products. They came when they said and did the job quicker than what they said. It looks good and we were all happy with it. They were friendly and tried to do what they could to get the job done. They had to deal with 5 dogs, I think that would be hard for anybody but they did good. Their price was good. They quoted us a bigger price and we told them what our budget was and that we really couldn't go over that and they worked with us.

Overall I am happy but just disappointed in what I had to get rather then what I wanted.

My experience with them was very good. I think the customer satisfaction about the follow-up was very good.

They did a really good job. We also were installing new tile, and the carpet installer came out at later date to come fix it. They worked around our scheduled. I also like that they came out to the house with the samples.

We live on a 70 foot houseboat. We got several estimates on redoing all our flooring, inside and out. We asked Empire Today to come and give us an estimate. After spending over 3 hours with their sales person, Petra Young, we were given a quote. During this time, Petra took pictures, sent them to her management team to get approval to do the work. The installation was originally scheduled for Sept 1st at my request. Petra told me that I could move up the install if I wanted to so I called on Wed of this week to move to Aug. 31st.. I got confimation for the new date and a reminder the night before. When I called today, Aug. 31st, to get an estimated time of arrival, i was told that my installation had been moved to Sept. 4th. When I called Petra, she told me that she needed to check with her manager. After 30 minutes and no call back I called Petra again and she told me that they could not install on my "boat". Her manager called me and at first told me that they could not find an installer that would install on a "boat" because it was fiberglass. Our boat does not have figerglass and the flooring is 1"1/4 marine plywood which Petra knew was there, not figelass. After several hours of back and fourth as to if they would do it or not do the install the manager told me that they were not insured to install on a "boat". What a huge wast of time and to add insult to injury I will not get my $300 deposit, which they took out of my account with in 24 hours of the original contract, back for 7-10 days.

I am still waiting for the $12,000 refund from the check they never should have cashed. Everyone at the company from top to bottome was unprofessional. I'm glad it stopped here, I can only imagine how terrible their installers must be if their reps and managers are this bad. DO NOT use them....they will overcharge you and they are unprofessional!!!!!

They did a really poor job on the installation. They did not honor their 10 year warrentee. They had a hard time understanding English.

Dealing with this company was a nightmare! They installed the laminate flooring over a year ago; they did not leave any extra materials here. In April I had a water leak that damaged some of the flooring. Empire (800 588-3200) has their own name for the flooring they sell (it's actually made by Shaw) and would not tell me how to get any replacement material. I had to go thru them entirely or could not repair the damaged area. So their guy came and examined it and although only a few of the floor boards were damaged he said I had to order 8 boxes of replacement flooring at a cost of $1425. As this damaged area was in the entry way, I felt I had no choice. So I entered the order. This was in mid-April but as I had travel plans and would be away much of May, I scheduled the installation for early June,. When I was in Europe Empire called a few times in the middle of the night (there) but never left a message. When I returned I called them to check on the installation. For quite some time they argued with me and said my address was not the address they had "associated" with my phone number! [I had some flooring installed by them at a rental house and they had that address "associated."] Apparently they can't make any changes to their system so I had that argument every time I called. Then they said they had no record of my order, then said it was cancelled but hey couldn't say why. That I would have to start over and pay $75 for their person to come out. Eventually I got my order reinstated and a very fine installer (William Schanck IV) came out to do the replacement. He was astonished -- he had been told it was a new installation and had not been told of the water damage. They also had sent him with the wrong color trim. So he said he would order the right trim and come back on Monday, unless they informed me otherwise. Mid-Monday I called to check and went thru the entire rigamarole again - that's not my address, no record of my order, etc. even though by that time I had paid in full. Put on hold for about 20 minutes before I hung up. The main office could not reach the Orlando office. Finally someone called and said he would be back Tuesday, as they could not get the materials by Monday. So Tuesday he came and took up the flooring but found the concrete too damp to put down the flooring. He was marvelously knowledgeable and professional and explained that I simply must let the floor dry out. He helped me find experts for that, who advised to just get a big fan and a moisture meter and let it dry. So I did, for over 2 weeks. Then tried to get him back. Same rigamarole with Empire til I threatened to just cancel the credit card charge (he had left the flooring materials with me) and/or sue Empire. Days of trying to get the install scheduled, same rigamarole every time. He did install it beautifully yesterday and I am forever done with Empire.

We called for an estimate on tile installation. The sales rep came and did a hard sell on laminate, which we specifically said we were not interested in (but apparently margins are higher on laminate, so salespeople push it).He gave us a quote then told us we had to purchase it immediately for the price to be good - If he left and they had to come back, they'd have to re-measure and give us another estimate. Of course we said no, since we had three other quotes still to come, and the price seemed high anyway. Then he tried to bargain with us, asking us what price seemed fair and then dropping the price by $2,000 if we signed immediately. Wouldn't give us anything in writing. Sorry, I did not sign up to have a car salesman come to my house. Completely turned off by the shady tactics and hard sell. Did not use Empire and would not ever use them.

We had used Empire Today 2 times previously without a problem. This time was a disaster. When the salesman came out, he checked to make sure that both the carpeting and laminate could be installed the same day. He was told by a manager that they could do it the same day. On Saturday morning, the day installation was to be done, we received a call from the carpet people, who said they would be there around 1:00 pm. Shortly thereafter, we received a call from the laminate installers, who said they would not do it the same day as the carpeting and scheduled it for the next day. When the carpet installers had not appeared by 2:00 pm and we had not received a call, we called Empire. They tried to reach the installer, who did not respond to them. We called back again with the same result. We finally received a call around 6:00 pm saying the installers had gotten tied up and would be done at their location at 7:00. We also tried to call the salesman, who never returned our call. The laminate could not be installed for a week due to some moisture problems they discovered on Sunday.. The laminate installers wound up coming out on a Monday. That crew spoke virtually no English (only Polish), so we could not communicate with them. The carpet installers who showed up looked like they were on work release. We don't expect uniforms, but we don't expect them to look like we should be afraid for our safety. They, too, spoke limited English (Spanish). The actual installation, once completed,was fine; it wasgetting to that point.

I will not call upon this company again.

The salesman came out when he said, quoted us a price, they came the next day, and did an excellent job of installing it. They moved the furniture and returned everything to where it belonged. Their price was a little high, but they provided an excellent service. The carpet has been more than adequate. We had a good experience overall. With the laminate flooring, we did have one issue that needed repaired, and after the manager came everything was squared away. Very good experience.

When I called Empire, I had a sales rep come out to my house and give me an estimate. He went over all of my options and prices and any other fees that would be invlolved. I made the appointment to get the carpet installed right then. The installers were prompt and professional. The carpeting was installed and everything cleaned up in the time they said it would take. The final bill was exactly what the estimate was quotes, no hidden fees. The carpet looks great and I am hapy with the work!

Janine McCabe sold me this flooring. She is a great sales person, very helpful and knowledgeable. I was leaving the state on the 16th for two weeks so would be unavailable for the installation. Janine said not to worry she would be here to oversee it!! I was so grateful to know I would be leaving this project in the hands of such a consciencious woman. I gave her my house key and left. She kept me up to date with all the work going on. My good friend Mark came by and talked with the workers and he was very impressed with their work ethic and job done. He like Janine is a perfectionist so when he said all was going well I knew that it was true statement!! when I saw the tiled hall and closets I was very pleased.!! I LOVE it. Just what I wanted!! I am very happy and when I need more work done I will definately call Janine McCabe!! Two thumbs up for Empire Today!!!!!

I contacted Empire after watching many of their ads on TV with the thought that it was too good to be true. When the salesman arrived I expected a high pressure sales tactic. This did not happen. The salesman took time to help me understand how Empire worked and how they could offer the carpet at the price. Their price was about half of other companies that I had contacted with the same quality carpet and padding. Since I was going to have painting done I did not use the next day installation. Once the painting was completed I contacted the salesman and set a date for installation. The installers arrive with the carpet and immediately starting figuring out the best way to lay the carpet without too many seams. The total sq ft was approximately 840 and they started around 10 AM and finished around 6 PM with only 2 installers. Since Empire did such a great job I called them to give me a price on carpet for my master bedroom and bath. Since I am going to paint the installation has been set for the end of August. I am not checking other companies as my experience with Empire on the first order was so well handled I felt comfortable just contacting Empire. I had unpacked china cabinets, bookcase and other items so the furniture was ready too be moved. The installers appreciated this as they indicated not all customers take the time to remove items and they are not prepared to pack for customers.

Those people actually put in the tiles in the bathroom and could not reseat the toilet properly. I would love to let them come back and try again. Within a day or two, I noticed the toilet in my guest bathroom, was leaking all over the floor. So I thought, let me have somebody who knows what they were doing and fix it. That was what I did. I had the whole house redone. I had tiles that were previously there, torn out because I decided to put laminate there. So the whole thing came to about $11,000. They sent out a crew of two or three people. One person they had was supposed to be the best person they got. If he was the best person they got and he could not reseat the toilet properly, I am not so sure about that. I am not that pleased. I do not know who in the crew tried to reseat the toilet. Whoever it was did not do it correctly. As I said there was water, leaking all over the floor on my brand-new laid tiles. I think it took two and a half days or so, to do the whole job and they insisted, they were responsible and I need not be there. I was sitting out in the patio and the weather was beginning to get warm. On the second day, around six o?clock, when they had not finished, I asked them to go home. I asked them to get out of my place since I was tired of it. I do not know if I am going to use them again. I remember when I called with a complaint, I got an answering machine and when they called me back, it was two days later. The best thing I can do is never use them again and never recommand them.

Their installers were trouble and when they installed the carpet, they offered me wine. They disconnected all of the electiracl equipment and even the phone. They the wouldn't reconnect it and I had to call everyone to get it fixed.

On December 22, 2009, an Empire Today sales representative came to our house to give us a free estimate on laminate flooring to replace the rugs that were damaged by a toilet overflow. Prior to his arrival, we did some comparative pricing from several local venders offering the same products and services, to establish a price range for the job, since our budget was very tight. After measuring the areas we were planning to replace, he produced an estimate that was nearly twice the amount quoted by their competitors. When I asked for a breakdown of labor and materials, the sales representative refused to divulge his figures or methods of calculation; just the total. This left me feeling very uncomfortable. When my wife and I asked why there was such a dramatic difference in price between Empire Today and it?s competitors, the sales representative told us that Empire Today?s product came with an amazing 30-year warranty. He went on to claim that it covered complete replacement (materials and labor) for any damage, so long as it was not caused by a ?natural flood?. Having two toddlers (1 and 3 years old), the thought of that kind of protection started to make that price seem more attractive. He inquired as to why our rugs had been removed. When I explained that we had a toilet overflow, he immediately pointed out that had we already installed Empire Today?s product, ?Empire Today would have replaced everything, free of charge.? The thought of having a product installed in our house that would be replaced completely, if it ever happened again, was too attractive for us to pass up on. Having two children and wanting that level of security, the 30-year warranty, under those parameters, seemed to be a worthwhile investment. Clearly, we would not have purchased our flooring from Empire Today, paying double the price, without the warranty described by the sales representative. Before I signed the paperwork to authorize the job to begin, I was attempting to read the legal information printed on the documents when the sales representative strongly dissuaded me from trying to understand the language of the document, indicating to me that ?You don?t really need to look at that? and that it (the document) ?was a standard loan-shark contract?. ?That uncomfortable feeling was returning. Additionally, just prior to the final signing, I waivered as I took a long look at the very expensive investment I thought I was about to make. At this point, the sales representative began pressuring me to hurry and sign, since he was planning to meet with a friend to go fishing after he had completed his work with us. My discomfort with the deal was increasing. Despite this, my wife and I agreed that it was an expensive but necessary investment, based solely on the warranty, so we signed the paperwork. The sales representative was in such a hurry to leave our house; he left his coat on a chair in our living room. I had to run out to his car to give it to him before he sped away. I believe it is important to point out that we were not given a written copy of the warranty at the time of sale or installation. As a result, we had no reason to believe the salesperson had lied to us. In April of 2010, our washing machine overflowed, pouring water all over part of our new laminate flooring and destroying a rug in one bedroom. Fearing the possibility of mold damage under the floor and the health risks associated with it, we called Empire Today immediately to have them replace the flooring in that area. At that time, a phone representative from Empire Today informed us that appliance failure was not covered in the warranty. When I indicated that our sales representative told us otherwise, the phone representative merely replied that they ?weren?t there? (at the time of sale) and therefore could not be held responsible for what the salesman had said. I told them that this response was unacceptable and asked for a supervisor. Each representative I spoke to that day said the same thing: ?I wasn?t there?. Finally, I spoke to Tim Sherwin, a senior regional manager at the company, who maintained the same ?I wasn?t there? mantra. However, when I asked him point blank ?Do you not feel any responsibility for what your trained sales staff is telling your customers in an effort to make a sale?? and ?Do you support that kind of approach and behavior?? He fell back on the standard response 'I wasn?t there'. I thought that is was interesting that he never disputed the fact that I may or may not have been lied to. He merely pointed out that if it wasn?t in writing, Empire Today could not be held accountable for the unethical tactics or false statements made by an unscrupulous sales representative utilized in the blatant deception of a customer. We have made repeated attempts to resolve this situation amicably. I have called Empire Today and written several letters, one sent directly to the CEO of the company. In each one, we have offered fair and reasonable solutions. Either charge us the average price quoted by your competitors for the same job (since there is no all-encompassing warranty to distinguish Empire Today as a superior product) or take back your product for a full refund, since it is not as it was represented at the time of sale. These attempts have all been completely disregarded. I have also attempted to dispute this charge though the company that holds the loan we signed with for the flooring. In addition, we even set a lengthy letter, detailing our ordeal to the Better Business Bureau in an effort to receive some measure of justice. All of our efforts, thus far, have been in vain. In summation, I would not only never recommend the use of any of Empire Today?s products or services to anyone, I would also encourage anyone and everyone to actively spread the word regarding their deceptive and unethical practices as well as their utter disregard for the consumer. It is difficult to imagine that the CEO of Empire Today who has been quoted in a press release (dated June 26th 2008) claiming that ?Our employees are truly passionate about building customers for life? and that ?We strive to provide world-class customer service throughout the organization, and this award [a business ethics in the marketplace award, bestowed upon Empire Today by the Better Business Bureau] just reinforces our commitment to achieving excellence in customer satisfaction. Our company is truly honored to receive this award because stellar customer services is our top priority?. Based on our experience thus far, it would seem that these words no longer hold any value to Empire Today, its representatives or its employees.

These guys were awful. I was pressured into a sale when all I wanted was an estimate. I cancelled the order in writing and by phone and they still came to install the carpet even though I had cancelled the order.

They were very good. They gave me an Angie?s List discount. They were very professional. They treated me right and I was very pleased.