January 2007 I had a salesperson come to our home to give us an estimate on laminate flooring for our family room, Hallway and Bathroom. Her name is Marcia.

She started out by Showing me the different style of hardwood and laminate flooring telling me that the price was the same for either. Then she began to tell me that type of product used, the quality and warranty. On the laminate flooring, I was told that it is the top of the line, only sold through Empire, scratch resistant, waterproof and resistant, with a 25 year warranty.'water can stand on them for up to 5 days'. I shouldn't of believed her but wanted to see what the price would be for my living room and hallway. She promised she would give me the bottom line price for our products. She pumped up the company's reputation, their superior quality products and service. She proceeded to tell me that they NEVER used sub-contractors or day laborers and could have the floors in the next day.

I loved the look of this sample she had it was 4in wide planks that looked like they came out of an old library in europe somewhere and even had indents in the top as if they had stood the test of time and had scars to prove it. They were a deep dark warm color I picked for the living room and hallway. For the bathroom I picked a square laminate that was a sandy marble look with a hint of lavender to go in my small 5x5 guest bathroom. I told her my concerns about putting the laminate in the bathroom and if it would really hold up. She said jokingly that unless there was a flood the floors would be fine.

She also assured us that when they started the install, if we were unhappy with the product, to call them and they would make it right. That and the scratch resistant, water resistant qualities of the product. I have cats and two children who does spill things. She assured us it would be fine. That was the assurance I needed to agree to the sale.

She then measured the rooms and gave us our quote. $9000, 00 for the laminate. I was shocked to say the least!!! The price of the laminate was extremely high, in my opinion. She told me that with labor costs and the carpet removal then they have to move and replace our furniture it is a bit expensive. So I said fine I'll move the furniture and keep the carpet. She said that would bring it down to $6, 700.00. I told her that was out of my price range. However they had the financing options we were looking for, and as my family would be in town next week so them being able to install the product quickly was a benefit. We decided to only go with the laminate for now. We agreed on the pricing, and She checked with the office on the financing.

They came to Install the floor and non of them spoke a word of english and they all spelled bed. But I needed the flooring done ASAP. I had removed all the furniture the night before and even the toilet and sink. All they had to do was install the floors. It was fast and when they were done I inspected the bathroom. The trim wasn't on the wall behind the sink I pointed and asked why. He they don't have, someone will fix. That was the best english I could get out of him. He told me to sign the papers and that someone would come fix. So i signed then they left. I was already upset that I was spending so much money of floors that wouldn't be done when my family got here. Then I would have to find someone with a truck to help me take the carpet that was now taking up my garage space, to the dump.

As my friend and I was putting the furniture back in the couch scratched the floor 4 inches of a scratch. Now I was really pissed the floors weren't even an hour old and they got a scratch how would they hold up to my kids. Well a month later the classic glass of water on the dinner table spilled on the floor. I grabbed a towel and got it up right away but the trim got wet and started to swell looking like a swollen piece of cardbord with a sticker clinging to it. I went around inspecting the other parts of the floor and sure enough the floor in the bathroom was swelling and the trim was ruined even after all my best efforts of keeping it dry and clean. I followed all the instructions in that manual they gave me with the floors.

I called Empire to see if I was correctly quoted the correct price for the product I received. The woman said she didn't know she would have to forward that question to the area representatives that did the service. But she could make the appointment to have the floors fixed. A week later a english speaking guy came out to replace the pieces of the trim and floor then shook his head saying that the other crew never chalked the bathroom to seal it. I got a call from Jackie due to my concern about the pricing. She said that I was quoted the correct price for the floors and got a good deal.

I asked her if she felt good about them charging me $200 a box for cardboard with pictures of a tree glued on it. She said they used 30 boxes. I then asked her where. Then she asked if there was anything else I needed. I asked to speak to her manager. She said he was sitting behind her and wouldn't talk to me that I was quoted the correct price and I would get no refund on the product. Then I asked what about the warrenty? We can send someone out to fix the floors. So I asked Every 6 months? She said no after a year they fall under a different warrenty.

So I told her to make the appointment to come pick up the floors I don't want them and to get them out of my house. She said she could do that but I would get no refund. So I called the # on the tv asking for a number to the district office. Brian said that there isn't one and that if there was a problem with the floors that I would have to talk to the local people that put them in. I told him I wanted to speak to the person above him that I felt I was being lied to and I was riped off about the floors. He said he could not help me.

We all need to get together about this and START a class action Lawsuit about Empire Today. This is crazy that they can charge what ever they want for a crappy product then threaten us to keep it. Email me lets get this taken care of.

EMPIRE IS A JOKE!

I read about all of the negative publicity before I had the Empire salesman come out to our home, but I wanted to see for myself that they were truly a rip-off company. Based on the salesman they sent to our home, they have no interest in keeping a positive image of their company. He was condescending, unfriendly, and to put it simply, he was a used car salesman. At one point he said the cost per square foot would be $14 -- this was for laminate flooring! When we expressed our concern about the high price, he said he needed to run the numbers again. When he "ran the numbers again" he came back with a price of $9/square foot. Again -- USED CAR SALESMAN. $9/square foot is still outrageous.

We ended up hiring local flooring installer who was friendly, experienced, answered all of our questions in a non-condescending manner, and he did a beautiful job of installing the floor. On top of that, he referred us to a specialty flooring store where we could buy quality flooring at a discounted price. For just under 500 square feet we paid $1700 for labor and materials. Empire wanted us to pay $6000 for the same job -- until they lowered their price to a "bargain" cost of $4500.

DO NOT do business with Empire. Empire doesn't care about getting repeat customers -- they are only looking for one-time customers. My advice is to hire locally, as we did. In general, local installers have their reputation on the line. Local installers rely on word of mouth advertising and good references to maintain their business -- NOT commercials with catchy jingles that you see every time you turn on the TV.

On December 1, 2008, I called Empire Today to complain about Empire and its service. I am not complaining about the quality of their work, but the lack of consideration to their customer.

I had Empire to install some carpet in my bedroom, bathroom and down the hall. They talked me into buying the most expensive carpet they had, saying that I needed a good carpet that would last. After the carpet was laid I found that I was allergic to the carpet. I wanted them to change out the carpet and put in a lower nap, one that would not give off lint so readily. I was willing to exchange the more expensive brand for a cheaper carpet and will pay the same price. They told me they could not do that, which I had to pay for new carpet. I would have to pay the $3584 dollars plus the price of the lower grade carpet. After paying $1000 dollars cash down, I would own $2584. I think this was very unfair.

First Empire told me for them to do something about the carpet; they need a letter from my doctor (letter enclosed) saying that the carpet made me sick. When I got the letter, Empire told me that they could not do any thing about the carpet because they could not use the carpet, they would have to throw it away and that I would have to pay an additional amount to install carpet that would not aggravate my allergy.

Someone came out one time and looked at the carpet, took the measurement of the pile, and told me that there was no defect in the carpet. I told them I was not looking for defects. I wanted the carpet removed. They told me that they would get back with me, but they never did. I finally called them, after several tries they finally told me that they would not remove the carpet, if they did I would have to pay for taking it up and pay for another carpet.

I am a severely handicapped senior citizen on medication and cannot use my handicap equipment, I cannot go into my bedroom, because it makes me ill. I cannot breath. If I stay any length of time in the room I have an attack. I have slept in that room with carpet for 35 years and I have never experience anything like this. I told them I wanted a non-allegenic carpet. They aasure me that the carpet would not affect my allergies. I wanted a good quality carpet, so I went on and bought the carpet, not knowing that I would be allergic. The carpet is vacuum everyday and I am still getting lint from the carpet, the lint has some littlee crystal like substant it it. The only thing I want them to do is change out the carpet for a lower nap and I was willing to pay for the more expensive carpet. I just want them to keep the price just as it is.

Empire refuses to give me anything in writing, letting me know what decision they have made. Verbally they told me they would not do anything. I asked them to put that in writing, they refuse. I have not heard from them one way or the other.

Here is a chorology of the events I have talked to them:

Installed carpet on Oct 22.
Got sick could not breath at 11 o’clock PM.
Went to emergency at 12 midnights on 23.
Went to the medical doctor 3 times because I was getting sick every time I went in the room. My doctor suggested that I move out of the room.
Moved out of the room on the Oct 29.
Called Empire on Nov 4, 5, 6, 24, and 25
Empire sent someone to look at the carpet on Nov 19.
Called Money Bank on Dec 1.

Waiting for a solution from Empire. Have not heard from them yet.
Wrote to BBB waitign for resolution. In the meantime I can not use my handicap equipment.
I will never recommend any one to Empire Today. They charged me a rediculous price for some carpet I could have gotten from a home interior store and still yet some carpet I could have gotten from Lowes for $2000 cheaper.

Sincerely,

Bettye A Lynn

I used Empire to install 6 blinds in my small one bedroom apartment. It seemed like a very easy job but it has taken more than 2 months and 6 different visits for them to install the blinds and they STILL aren't finished!!! The first installer that they sent to my house damaged my kitchen window when he tried to force a blind that was too big for the window in. He then asked if I had left over paint so he could cover up the damage. He incorrectly installed the blinds in my bedroom and told me that it was the only way for them to work (which was untrue). In the living room you could see that the valance on the top of the blinds did not match up and there was a one inch space between the spot where they should have met. I called Empire and they sent someone to come and look at the job. He agreed that the job was poorly done and told me that Empire had fired the installer that they sent to me in the past but brought him back because they needed more help. The second installer also told me that he constantly had to fix the other installers jobs.

The second installer seemed very knowledgeable and tried to fix the mess that the first one created. Problem is, he isn't finished with the job yet. He measured the windows and came back 3 times because every time the blinds weren't cut correctly. He also ripped the paint off my bedroom walls when removing the blinds to install them correctly, so now I have 4 large holes and white paint spots where the blinds used to be.

Whatever you do, DO NOT use Empire. They lie when they say they have great customer service and knowledgeable installers. They will send you someone who has no clue what they are doing and tell you that they are great. Don't believe there lies!!! I spent more than $1, 300 on blinds and they act like they are doing me a favor by installing them correctly.

We set up the appointment to order carpet for our whole house a week before it was to be installed. The day it was to be installed, we were told that it did not get onto the truck. They said that they would deliver it the next day (Saturday). About 1/2 an hour after they were due, I called the local number. No response. So I called the national number. I was told that our information had never been entered into the computer. How can they possibly deliver next day, when they aren't able to enter a carpet order into their computers for at least a week? We found someone else.