had hired Empire Today to install carpet in my house on 6/27/09. The installers came and installed carpet on bedrooms and stairs, but they did NOT install carpet on the entrance hallway leading up to the stairs. The order form states "Hallway" is included, and our sales representative Mr. Joseph Orelien had mentioned stairs and hallway in the price quoted.
The installers said they had no more carpet left to do the entrance hallway and left. I did NOT sign the complete installation page. I intend to dispute your charge.
When I called the sales rep, he said Empire will have to charge me MORE money to do the entrance hallway as only top hallway was included, I WAS MISINFORMED and was assured that BOTH hallways would be carpeted.
I have digital pictures of the entrance hallway that has little carpet padding thrown on it and is UNFINISHED, and NOT carpeted as promised to me by Empire. The rep. wants to charge me more money to do the job right. This is unacceptable!
I chose Empire Today after reading about good customer service and fast installation PROMISES, I was offer NEITHER. I am extremely unsatisfied with my experience with Empire Today and I will post this on EVERY internet discussion board I can find to inform other consumers to BEWARE of Empire Today unless my issue is resolved

I wouldn't say Empire Today is the worst company I've ever hired, but they certainly were not the best. The sales person was very nice and courteous and told me all I needed to know about the installation. I got next day installation from an order that was submitted around 9pm at night.

Carpet Install:
The carpet installers broke two of my dressers and did not say a word about it. I found the broken pieces in the drawers later that night. I was running back and forth between work and home and I noticed that they did not replace the old tacking strips. (I had pulled up some of the carpet the night before and primed some of the areas due to a pet problem so I could see that they didn't replace it) I didn't specifically ask that they do that, but I know that it is just good practice and will hold the carpet better. They pieced the carpet pad together so that there were tons of cuts and I specifically paid for a higher pad that had a pet coating on it. They should have laid it out so there were as few of cuts as possible. There were tons of nails/staples/etc in the carpet that I have accidentally stepped on and am still finding 3 weeks later.

Stairs/entryway (hardwood substitute) install:
After finishing the job, I had to ask the installers to fix several things. Everything I pointed out to them that was wrong, they would tell me that it was supposed to be that way. Eventually I got them to fix most things by arguing with them. A few days later, I noticed that they cracked some of the existing baseboards and that the entryway was not level going downstairs.

1st guy they sent out fixed the baseboards, but did not have the pieces to fix the entryway.

2nd guy had 1 piece to fix the entryway, but they did not think ahead and after ripping up part of the entryway told me he did not have the rest of the pieces to fix it!! I had a giant hole in my entryway for 2 days!! Not only that, but I saw that they did not remove the old tile and when he tore out the new entryway, he tore out SOME of the old tiles, but not all. I could tell that this was going to cause an issue, because it would make any other pieces installed on top unlevel. When I called to reschedule the 3rd guy I told them that they would need to make the floor underneath level first. I knew that would go in one ear and out the other because queue the 3rd guy:

3rd guy finally had the right pieces, but installed it even more crooked than the initial installers! My roommate pointed it out to him (because I couldn't be home that time) and they told him that "it was supposed to be that way" The boards are bowed and the quarteround does not sit level to the floor. Also, the edge of the last board of the entryway is crooked over the stairs. He also scratched the surround wood pieces and did not replace them. HOW COULD THAT BE RIGHT??? He also told us that we could not walk on the entryway for 2 days. They told me that they would call to reschedule, but I've called them twice and they keep telling me someone will be call me to reschedule. Supposedly someone will call me back tomorrow.

I think I'm becoming more of an expert on the steps to install these floors than the installers because every time they come out, they get it wrong. It's just common sense to make sure the floor underneath is level (and cutting the stairs correctly) first before installing the new floor over it. If they had cut the stairs to fit the entryway/stairway, I would not be having this problem right now. Every time they come out the new installer says something to that fact, but DOESN'T FIX the root problem.

RIDICULOUS. I am so angry that I can barely talk to their customer service agents because I want to start screaming. I've missed work to watch them fix things incorrectly and I'm SO tired of the installers arguing with me that "this is how it is supposed to look." Whenever they say that now, I bring them upstairs and show them what a good install of hardwood looks like and they shut up and try and fix it.

Note: If I had my pictures with me right now, I would definitely be posting them.

My nightmare begins a very looong four and a half, yes that’s 4 ½, years ago. That’s when I was involuntarily terminated as a service provider in the NY, NJ, and PA markets by Empire Today, for reasons I will leave unmentioned at this time.

Empire Today has not paid me in full, and continues to refuse to do so, for services rendered. Furthermore substantial deductions made from checks paid to me, which are held in an escrow account, also remain unreturned. Combine the just mentioned and you’ll get a staggering five/ six figure total.

Unfortunately I can’t show the actual per job invoiced amount and/ or what specific work orders have not been paid for, due to Empire refusing to issue even just the recaps for all the checks, that have been paid within the timeline in question. Although these recaps were supposed to be issued on a weekly basis, they were actually made available to me when the accounting department ‘had the time’ to prepare them. Now this does makes the battle ahead more difficult, but believe you me I AM DETERMINED TO COLLECT WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY OWED TO ME.

I have had face to face conversations, made phone calls, left voicemails, sent countless e-mails and even certified letters, with and to Empire Today associates and/ or management team members, all to no avail. In fact judging from past experience, I honestly believe this report will incite a joy to some of these management team members.

This company knows exactly who I am and is very well aware of the state of affairs I find myself in stemming from the intentional nonpayment. I may not have on staff investigative agencies and law firms, or the ability to compete financially, that doesn’t however mean that I can’t do battle in the court of public opinion.

I am exasperated at the notion that my efforts to have Empire Today pay outstanding amounts have resulted only in the amusement of certain people at my expense. I have provided two and a half years of service at three of this company’s branches, on many, many, many occasions going way beyond the call of duty. I have spent more time in company offices and have more familiarity of day to day events and operations, than even some of the management team members.

I will post an update and also start a blog, where I will in fine detail discuss all my experiences, share relevant documents, images and even some fascinating conversations that have taken place, for all interested in a real account of how, when, who, what, why, where and of course HOW MUCH. I will share how customers, employees and subcontractors are treated and not only spoken to, but spoken about, especially when one’s services are no longer required.

In the meantime however I need to find more places where complaints can be posted and file this very report.

Thank you for reading,
X_Empire_Installer

We had to get carpet for our stairs and had a guy from Empire Today come out for the free in-home installation. I should have known it was going to be bad when the salesman sat down and started telling me his life story (all about his hip replacements, his wife, how long they had been married, etc.) Well, I just wanted to get down to business and have him do the measurements and show me the carpet samples. Meanwhile, I'm holding my crying 2 month old baby and it didn't seem to faze him at all. He was all chatty.

He took measurements, showed me the samples, and assured me that there was a 7 year warranty on the carpet.

First, the carpet selection was very limited. Second, he failed to mention that nylon is preferable to polyester on stairs because it's more durable. Third, he quoted me a price of $1100+, took an "automatic 10%" off, then asked me what I wanted to pay. I was like, what? So then I said $800, and then he called his manager, and it went back and forth a little, and finally they agreed. Who does business like this??? I felt jipped, and also like I should have asked for $500, maybe they would have agreed.

It made me feel uncomfortable, so I went to Home Depot the next day to get a better understanding of different carpets and prices, and learned immediately that you should always get nylon on stairs and NEVER get polyester. Also, he told me that carpet on stairs is never under warranty because it's such a high traffic area.

I called the Empire salesman the next day to find out whether my order was for nylon or polyester, and he laughed and asked me, "What does it matter?" and said he didn't know, he had to look it up. Well, no doubt, it was polyester, so I cancelled the order (which took over 30 min because I was on hold for so long...)

Long story short... the salesman didn't know what he was talking about, and was condescending, and their practice of haggling made me uncomfortable. I'm going to Home Depot or Lowe's or some other local carpet store and am hoping for a better experience!

I also failed to mention that after they were done with the carpet installation, There was enough carpet left over to carpet a whole other room.Thanks for nothing Empire today!.I just love the way you get away with ripping off War Veterans and the Elderly.You should be ashamed of yourselves...Never again..!!!RUN FAR AWAY FROM THEM...FAST.