Carpet and Flooring Reviews - Empire Today

I re-drove back to Pittsburgh from New York after being informed by my regional customer representative that my damaged carpet for porch steps was in. New installers arrived in an unmarked truck. I pointed out the risers of the steps not holding to the cement and the overhangs from the porch also not holding. I was immediately informed they were not going to fix the overhang problem. I had to call the customer service representatives and he hemmed and hawed. I explained this was not my mistake but Empire's for hiring incompetent installers. The men fixed the overhang at great protest and re-installed carpet on the steps. The job is now completed. The regional customer sales rep has still not called me two days after the job was complete to see if I am happy with the work. It has cost me over $200 in gas, tolls, and food since this mis-managed job began. I explained this to the customer service representative and there was a big silence at his end. I see all the complaints on this site have had responses from Empire Today - We Care, We want you to be happy, We are proud of our reputation. Platitudes that do not resolve problems but give the appearance that they are a caring company. Bottom line if Empire cared they would reimburse me for my expenses due to their incompetence. I urge all customers to get cards from the salesmen; license numbers and names of installers before they begin their work. To date I have no last name of the so called "caring" regional customer representative and no where on the paper work that I signed do I see that Empire subcontracts and no names to call. The system works by you calling an 800 number to Chicago. Chicago redirects to local market; you get call and/or email as to installation time. Empire cares but does not do the work until they are paid up front. Buyer beware.

Within approximately a year there were unusual markings on the carpet in several rooms. I called customer service and they sent a technician. He said that these were what they called "water marks" and that the manufacturer would not consider this a defect so they probably wouldn't replace the carpet. However, he would turn in his report and someone would get back to me. That never happened. I had to run them down and got the same excuse that the technician had given me. I called to speak to a supervisor and after several days was given the same excuse. Bottom line, I'm sorry they are having problems with the manufacturer but that shouldn't excuse their customer service to me, the customer.

So an Empire Today salesman came out on 12/31/2010 with carpet and vinyl flooring samples. My husband and I chose a Mohawk carpet with a 15 year warranty mind you. (We have had Empire do our kitchen laminate previously, had issues, and they corrected the problem.) Our salesman assured us that we would get that "great Empire service for the warranty with the carpet just like we did with our laminate flooring if their were any issues..." We had our carpet installed on or about 1/8/2011. By April our carpeting looked like the 10 year old carpet that we just had torn out! When I called customer service, they forwarded my info. and complaint onto what I am guessing is a regional manager in the Illinois office. I missed this person, Kim's first call, and proceeded to call her back for approximately 5 days before she finally called me back. When I finally spoke with her and expressed my issues, she told me that the warranty doesn't cover the way our carpet wears. I said this carpet isn't even 5 months old! She asked me if I used a vaccuum with a beater brush. I said yeah, I have a dyson and we vaccuum every other day if not every day! She said well maybe it needs to be cleaned. Mohawk states that their better carpet should ONLY have to be cleaned approximately every 12 to 18 months!! This hasn't even been in my house for 6 months yet!! So we did use a professional grade cleaning on it as suggested, and it still is beat down, pieces coming up and it looks like ***! I was told the only thing they would cover is a seem that we have that looks bad. I cancelled the appt. for the seem. Why am I gonna have the seem repaired if the carpet is still gonna look like ***!!!! The carpet has a rippling effect look to it no matter what, it is beat down, and we only have 4 people living in our house. We have dogs, but hello! Dogs don't run around constantly wearing down carpet! My 10 year old carpet that we had previously wore better than my now less than 6 month old carpet from Empire is wearing! We believe our salesman played a bait and switch, as he didn't write what kind of carpet we were purchasing on our contract, he just wrote "carpet". It was supposed to be Mohawk Challice carpet with the best padding they offer, and have this great 15 year warranty that covers everything except negligence. We don't think that we got the carpet we ordered because this is *** carpet! We paid alot of money for our carpet, and basically Empire has told us, sorry you are out of luck. Be sure to ask for a copy of the warranty to read before the salesman even leaves your home! He didn't offer it to us, and come to find out, they are supposed to! Mohawk states that their warranty explanation of whats covered should be on the back of each sample. Well it wasn't. We feel that we have been COMPLETELY DECEIVED and now Empire doesn't want to fix their *** product. My suggestion...DON'T USE THIS COMPANY UNLESS YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT IS BEING INSTALLED!!! I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE CHALLICE SAMPLES BROUGHT BACK TO MY HOME BECAUSE I GUARANTEE, THAT IS NOT WHAT WAS INSTALLED! The salesmen work on commission, and the more expensive of a product that is chosen, the less they make in commission! If they can charge more and switch to a crappier product, they make more money, and you have no way of knowing what is being installed..... We will never use Empire Today again, and will be sure to let everyone we know not to either! Kim

Empire today is not returning calls and refusing the fix laminate floor buckling. We had them out to fix one area which we were told was the installers fault. We agreed to put transitions in under the bedroom doors to save empire money and not having to redo the whole condo living room. We did not want this but were told that they would redo the kitchen buckling no matter what the issue was. They came, fixed the hallway and then told us they are not doing the kitchen due to high moisture readings. Never heard of such a thing. We had a cabinet fixed under the sink and asked the guy if there is moisture and he said not at all. We do not pour water on our floors so they are full of ***. Orlando from the NJ office is horrible...we are now filing a lawsuit.

Empire Today improperly installed outdoor carpet on my porch overhand and steps. The carpet did not adhere to cement. In addition, a glob of glue was smeared into the carpet on the bottom step. Contacting the Regional office in Pittsburgh, Pa numerous times has resulted in no further communication, from them, on the progress of fixing the problem. Using Customer service on line forms and calling the 800 number has resulted in no action. The problem has occurred two weeks ago and I have no idea of when they are going to get replacement carpet and when they are going to re-install. My frustration level is high because of the failure to receive adequate communication and satisfaction from the company representatives.

I should have known. Usually I check reviews before using a company but my husband made appointment with Empire Today for wood flooring. When they arrived I did not like the wood flooring but saw carpet I liked. My husband asked about the buy room get one free, of course, not for the carpet we choose. I should have known. The sales person told me the special order would be two weeks. It has been over two weeks and I have got nothing from Empire. After calling Empire Today 800 number for three days, I finally find out that it takes a minimum of 3 weeks for a special order. I should have known. What ever happen to the art of listening to your customer to find out what the problem is. They don't listen, so they can't answer your question accurately. Should have known.

When the Empire Carpet salesman Tony Tampa arrived at my mothers house he proceeded to give her an estimate for her family room and basement. My mother was so impressed with the salesman that she had him give her an estimate for the entire house. He provided her with his cell phone number if she had any questions. She contacted him a day later and said that she was unsure of making a purchase for the whole house, at which point, Tony said don't worry. He made assurances to my mother that it was no issue what so ever that she only get the 2 rooms done. The 1st day of install when very well, my mother loved the install guys, she even gave them a TV that she had laying around. She was so impressed that she contacted Mr. Tampa the next day and proceeded to order the carpet for the rest of the house, with the stipulation that the same installers would be back to finish the job. Mr. Tampa assured her that the same guys would be back the next day (1st lie coming), however, when the next day came it was 3 different installers. The installers on the 2nd day were not as skilled with installing the carpet. The installers did not put thresholds between the carpet and the linoleum in the bathrooms, they just cut the carpet straight and butted it up to the laminate. They installed the carpet on the stairs crooked, it had a banana shape going up the stairs. They also did a poor job of mating the carpet up to a ceramic tile foyer. Now the fun starts up, Mr. Tampa became unreachable entirely, he did not respond to any voice mail messages. He didn't answer is phone when calls were attempted from unknown numbers either. My mother contacted empire customer service and finally was able to register her complaint after roughly 6 hours of phone play. Empire sent one of there carpet specialists to the house at which point he didn't necessarily feel that there was something wrong with the install. After my mother insisted excessively that the install was not acceptable he finally conceded defeat, he said that he would make the recommendations for repair. Several days later repair men came to the house and reinstalled the stair carpet (crooked again), they put thresholds in finally, and they sent a carpenter to attempt to repair where the carpet butted up to the ceramic tile. The carpenter they sent said that if he did anything it would make it look worse. Once again, empire customer service was contacted, after another 6 hours spent, my mother was able to get them to schedule another repair visit to fix the stairs as she was fed up with trying to get the ceramic tile issue taken care of. Finally today the repairs have been made which is now 2 weeks after the initial install.