Empire Today - Chicago

I was happy. The contractor they used was fantastic, very nice. He did it by himself which I thought was very surprising, but he was pretty fast considering it was only him. Would recommend them again.

EMPIRE CARPETS INSTALLERS ARE PROFESSIONAL, FAST, AND THEY STICK TO THEIR WORD. I TOLD MY KIDS TO USE THEM AND ID TELL EVERYONE ELSE, TOO. THEY REALLY SEEM TO CARE ABOUT THE WORK THEY DO.

The finished product looks good but the hassle in getting our new carpet in was a bit trying on the nerves. We were told the installers would be there around 9:30 and that it would be a day job. Well, they didn't show up until almost noon, never called and then were there until 8:30 and didn't end up finishing the job because they were short on carpet for the stairs, so they had to come back the following Tuesday. Additionally, they didn't clean up very well after the installation and threw out all the carpet, pad and supplies right in front of our garage so we couldn't get in for a few days.

THIS COMPANY DID A GOOD JOB OF LAYING THE CARPET. THEY ARE VERY EFFICIENT IN THEIR WORK. I WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THEIR WORK AND THE WAY THAT THEY WORKED.

I REALLY LOVED THE SERVICES EMPIRE CARPET PROVIDED. THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND WERE SO FRIENDLY. THEY ALSO WERE VERY HELPFUL WHEN WE NEEDED A QUESTION ANSWERED. I WAS REALLY SATISFIED WITH EVERYTHING.

The rep was pleasant and helpful in showing us carpets that met our needs. Unfortunately he promised a 9-11 am window for installation 2 days later. The installer didn't show up until 3:30 pm. Empire was unable to find our records initially and said that they don't promise 2 hour time windows. We requested a phone call prior to the installer's arrival. None was received. No excuse was provided for the late arrival. While the carpet looks fine; the experience was not.

They did excellent sales, had good pricing, but there was poor service from the installation team (nails throughout the basement, cigarette butts in my driveway).

Empire's service is totally unreliable. I received no response from a web site request to schedule an estimate. I then called Customer Service to schedule an estimate and even received a confirmation call the day prior. The estimator never showed although we called and were told he was coming, then waited 4 hours. (They are supposed to arrive within a 2 hour window.) I made the mistake of rescheduling and the new estimator actually showed and was very good. However, after scheduling another time for him to come on a later date - we wanted to write the order! - he never showed and later called to say he was too busy. We're just not willing to take a chance on their installers if their sales people are so unreliable.

I researched between twenty and twenty five companies to do my windows. Empire was the not only the most affordable, but they were the friendliest and most professional.

Our representative was good - might have helped had he made notes on his initial visit, as when we decided to go with Empire, we had to start all over again in our selection process and his measurements to give us a quote/contract. Initial measurements/ installation done by one installer, then later corrections done by another installer. Installers were great (professional, courteous) - installation complete in 2 hours. Only issue was the color of the Natural wood valences on some blinds, and it took 4 separate visits and calls to customer service to get this corrected. NOTE: the folks at the Customer Service phones are not the brightest folks, and limited in their scope to help you- needed to speak to a supervisor to resolve issues. We could have gotten a lower price on-line and bought/installed the blinds ourselves, but we didn't want to - anybody who's anxious to have quality window treatments as quickly as possible, installed in a very professional manner should call Empire.

THEY SAID I WOULDNT HAVE TO MAKE ANY PAYMENTS, BUT THE SALESMAN TOOK A 50% DEPOSIT, AND THEN I HAD TO PAY THE REST WHEN THE INSTALLERS GOT THERE. THEY ENDED UP CHANGING THE INSTALLATION DATE OVER THE COURSE OF A WEEK. THE DAY OF THE APPOINTMENT, THEY SHOWED UP HOURS LATE. I WAS TOLD THAT HE WANTED TO SAVE FOR THE LAST STOP, INSTEAD OF THE FIRST STOP I WAS PROMISED, BECAUSE HE WANTED TO GO HOME STRAIGHT AFTER MY APPOINTMENT.

WE WERE NOT IMPRESSED AT ALL WITH EMPIRE. THE PRICE WAS NOT COMPETITIVE, AND THE SALESPERSON TREATED US LIKE WE WERE IDIOTS. HE ACTED LIKE HE REALLY DIDNT CARE WHETHER OR NOT HE GOT OUR BUSINESS, AND SO HE DIDNT. WE CHOSE MR. CARPET INSTEAD AND WERE VERY PLEASED WITH OUR CHOICE.

BOTH THE SALES AND INSTALL PEOPLE WERE ON TIME AND PROFESSIONAL. I AM TOTALLY PLEASED WITH THE NEW FLOOR. THE INSTALLERS TOOK GREAT CARE WHILE MOVING OUR FURNITURE AND EVEN PUT ON THE FELT PADS WE PURCHASED BEFORE MOVING ON TO THE NEW FLOOR. WE WERE GIVEN A FLOOR CARE MANUAL. THE ONLY THING IS I WISH THEY WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE OLD CARPET AND PADDING AWAY. OUR TOWN CHARGES US $2.60 PER BUNDLE TO DISPOSE AND THERE WERE ABOUT 25 BUNDLES.

THE 2 INSTALLERS DID AN EXCELLENT JOB. NOT ONLY DID THEY MOVE FURNITURE AND APPLIANCES, THEY SWEPT THE AREA BEHIND THEM AND MASTERFULLY INSTALLED THRESHOLDS--DESPITE THE HEIGHT DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN FLOORS. THEY ALSO TRIMMED MY WOOD DOORS.

WE HAD A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE. OUR SALESMAN ARRIVED AFTER THE CHOSEN WINDOW, AND WE WASTED HOURS WAITING FOR HIM. AFTER HE INFORMED US THAT WE WERE MISINFORMED ABOUT THE HALF PRICE SALE, HE CALLED HIS BOSS TO NEGOTIATE A SPECIAL DEAL FOR US. THE SALESMAN REFERRED TO "OTHER MAJOR CARPET COMPANIES" IN HIS NEGATIVE COMMENTS. ABOUT A WEEK AFTER THE VISIT, I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM EMPIRE, WANTING TO KNOW WHY I DID NOT CHOOSE THEM FOR OUR CARPETING. AFTER I RANTED OVER THE PHONE ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED, THE WOMAN TOLD ME SHE WAS AUTHORIZED TO LOWER THE ESTIMATE A FEW HUNDRED MORE DOLLARS. OF COURSE I TOLD HER, TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE.

THE REPRESENTATIVE WAS PUNCTUAL, FRIENDLY, and MADE USEFUL SUGGESTIONS, BUT WE DECIDED NOT TO USE THEM BECAUSE THEIR PRICE WAS ACTUALLY HIGHER THAN A BID FROM A SPECIALTY FLOORING PLACE. WE WERE SURPRISED AT THIS BECAUSE WE WERE EXPECTING TO SEE LOWER PRICES AFTER VIEWING SO MANY OF THEIR ADVERTISEMENTS. ON THE PLUS SIDE, IT WAS EASY TO CONTACT THEM and SET UP AN APPOINTMENT (WE DID IT ON THE WEB), and THEY WOULD DO THE JOB QUICKLY. IF YOU ARE NOT IN A HURRY, I WOULD RECOMMEND LOOKING ELSEWHERE FOR BETTER PRICES and MORE SELECTION.

CAN SOMEONE EXPLAIN TO ME HOW THIS COMPANY COULD HAVE A SALES REP HERE WITHIN HOURS OF MY CALL, THEN HAVE THE INSTALLERS HERE WITHIN HOURS OF MY SIGNING THE CONTRACT, BUT WHEN SOMETHING WENT WRONG IT TOOK FOUR DAYS FOR THEM TO RETURN MY CALLS AND THEY STILL HAVENT FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THEY HAD SOMEHOW GOTTEN STAINS ON THE CARPET (PROBABLY FROM CUTTING IT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET) AND WHEN I CAME TO CHECK ON THE PROGRESS THEY WERE SPRAYING MY BRAND NEW $1500 CARPET WITH STAIN REMOVER. THE INSTALLER CLAIMED I WOULDNT BE ABLE TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE, BUT SURE ENOUGH ITS OBVIOUS THERE ARE STAINS. I WILL HAVE TO UPDATE YOU LATER IF THEY ARE WILLING TO REPLACE THE CARPET AS THEY STILL HAVENT COME OUT AND THERE WINDOW OF TIME TO DO COME BACK IS WORSE THAN THE CABLE COMPANY! I WOULD RECOMMEND A SMALLER MORE RESPONSIVE COMPANY OVER THESE GUYS (ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET TO A DECISION MAKER WITH THEM).

PROFESSIONAL JOB, AND THE INSTALLERS WERE ON TIME, COURTEOUS, AND DID A GREAT JOB ALL THE WAY AROUND. CLEANUP WAS EXCELLENT, AND COMPLETE. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS AND THE GUARANTEE FROM THE COMPANY IS FANTASTIC. THANKS EMPIRE!

I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY MY EXPERIENCE. THE QUALITY OF THE CARPETING IS VERY GOOD AND THE QUICK SERVICE IS AMAZING!

THE SALESMAN AND THE INSTALLERS WERE ON TIME, VERY POLITE, AND VERY PROFESSIONAL. THE PRICE SEEMED REASONABLE, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE TIME SAVINGS OF THE SALESMAN COMING TO US AND BRINGING SAMPLES, AND THE FACT THAT THE DINING ROOM CARPET WAS INSTALLED THE NEXT DAY. I WOULD USE THEM AGAIN FOR BASIC WALL-TO-WALL CARPETING.

THEY INSTALLED THE CARPET THE NEXT DAY. THEY DIDNT BRING ENOUGH SO THEY HAD TO COME BACK THE NEXT DAY TO FINISH. I THINK THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN A FLUKE.

SALESMAN WAS ON TIME. CARPET WAS INSTALLED NEXT DAY, AND IS FINE. I ENCOUNTERED NO PROBLEMS. PRICE WAS GOOD. SELECTION MET MY NEEDS, BUT WASN'T EXTENSIVE.

FIRST APPOINTMENT WAS NOT ASSIGNED TO A SALESMAN BY THE PHONE STAFF, SO WE WAITED AT HOME SATURDAY MORNING BETWEEN 9 AND 11 FOR NOTHING. WHEN I CALLED THEM AT 11, THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD LOOK INTO WHY THE SALESMAN HADNT YET ARRIVED AND KEPT ME ON THE LINE FOR 15 MINS. BEFORE DISCONNECTING ME. WHEN I CALLED BACK, I WAS TOLD MY CALL WOULD BE RETURNED, WHICH IT WASNT. FINALLY, ON MY THIRD CALL, SOMEONE EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND WE RESCHEDULED FOR MONDAY. THE SALESMAN CAME AT THE END OF THE PROMISED TIME FRAME. HE WAS VERY NICE, BUT THE QUOTE ($657) WAS MORE THAN TWICE THAT OF THE QUOTE FROM ANOTHER COMPANY ($300) FOR THE EXACT SAME JOB.

WE HAVE USED EMPIRE BEFORE TO INSTALL CARPETING AND IT WAS FAIRLY EXPENSIVE, BUT THIS TIME AROUND WE LEARNED THAT THE PRICE WAS VERY NEGOTIABLE. THEY LOWERED THEIR PRICE SO THAT THEY OUTBID 2 OTHER COMPETITORS, PLUS THE INSTALLATION WAS VERY EASY AND WAS FINISHED QUICKLY.

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'VE USED EMPIRE. THE FIRST TIME I KNEW EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED AND WAS VERY HAPPY WITH THE SERVICE. THIS TIME I WAS LESS SATISFIED. THE SALES REP. THEY SENT WAS A CARPET GUY AND NOT TOO KNOWLEDGABLE ABOUT WINDOW TREATMENTS. I HAD TO THEN CALL AND REQUEST THE PERSON WE WORKED WITH THE FIRST TIME. WHEN SHE CALCULATED HER QUOTE, IT WAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THE FIRST GUY'S! THEY HONORED HIS QUOTE, BUT NOW I DON'T TRUST THE WAY THEY PRICE THEIR PRODUCT (ALTHOUGH PRICES WERE COMPARABLE TO A QUOTE FROM A COMPETING CO.). THE INSTALLATION WAS NOT AS GOOD EITHER (CLEATS NOT INSTALLED CORRECTLY, ETC.). THE BEST THING ABOUT EMPIRE IS THE TURNAROUND TIME - CUSTOM WINDOW TREATMENTS IN LESS THAN A WEEK. THE WINDOW TREATMENTS ARE MADE BY HUNTER DOUGLAS UNDER A DIFFERENT LABEL - I WAS ABLE TO CONFIRM THIS BY LOOKING AT THE BOXES THE BLINDS/SHADES CAME IN. IF YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT AND YOU'RE VIGILANT ABOUT COMPARING PRICES ELSEWHERE FIRST, I GUESS I'D RECOMMEND EMPI