Empire Today®

I was amazed at how quickly that their crew worked. Most of the work was completed in 2 days. The quality of the work was excellent. The cons (nothing major): We were charged up front for the installation of an additional subflloor which turned out not to be needed. This did not appear as a line item on our contract which it should have. But, this extra subfloor was not needed, but it took 7 - 10 days to get a credit for this. Where several carpets butted up to the new hardwood, the carpets had to be rolled and tucked, but the original crew couldn't do this. Empire did get a carpet person out about 10 days after the flooring was done to complete the rest of the job.

We bought carpeting on Saturday the 20th from a friendly, knowledgeable saleswoman, and the installers came today (Tuesday - at our request) and were timely (8:00 AM on the dot-called first at 7:30 AM), effective and neat (moved everything, vacuumed twice, and moved everything back). We could not ask for better service.

The problem started when they showed me a sample of the flooring even before they brought it in the house. I told them it WAS NOT the flooring that I ordered. They insisted that it was and that I would see that after it was installed. I knew that I had not ordered the very narrow plank flooring, but thought perhaps I just saw it differently when I ordered it. They also said the flooring did not have to "cure" or be acclimated to my house's temperature and humidity levels. I had heard many times on Do it Yourself network and HGTV that flooring always had to be acclimated because squeaks and popping of nails would occur when the humidity/temperature levels were different. They said it had cured in their warehouse. I should have stopped them right then, but not having much experience with tradesmen I figured I was wrong and let them go ahead. Of course, now the floor squeaks badly at the entrance to my room and they say there is nothing they can do about it. I got a bad splinter the first night and in the morning when the sun came out I could see a thick layer of sawdust all over my furniture, doors, and floor. There were small pieces of wood left behind the doors and in the closet along with piles of sawdust and even a tool they had forgotten. The bathroom mirrors and shower and stool were also likewise covered with this thick dust. It took me several days to get it all cleaned. I called the company repeatedly, both during the install and after, voicing my complaints. They insisted that I got the flooring that I had ordered. I still have my doubts, but I can see that the floor is quite beautiful regardless. The carpet was a different experience. It is really beautiful and is just what I ordered. The installers, however, were of the same ilk as the hardwood installers. They seem to be all poorly trained and one of the carpet installers could not understand English at all, as I yelled downstairs when I heard my furniture being dragged across the cement floor! Even though in the basement, that is good furniture and wooden legs are not meant to be dragged across an entire room! The man did not understand me until I got the attention of the other installer and he went down and showed the man what not to do. ( I am somewhat disabled and am unable to traverse the stairs without help.) They seemed to be in quite a rush and had split up so as to get more done quickly evidently. I had asked for the floor to be sealed with a special moisture and mold resistant pad and they said they did it, but afterward I found residue of the padding and it was identical to the type used under all the rest of the carpet, a regular sponge type pad. Finally after three months, Empire credited my account with $300 to make up for all my troubles. I'd rather they did it right to begin with and kept their money!

When I told them I thought the estimate was ridiculous, they dropped it in half. If I had not asked questions, they would have charged me the double price and got away with it. By the time they were finished, I asked them to leave the house. I can understand playing with the price a little bit, but not half. I am an older person and they would have taken advantage of me. I don't appreciate that. They did answer all my questions and arrived on time.