Carpet and Flooring Reviews - Empire Today
Holly Springs, NC Install
First off we had our carpet installed and the crew did not speak English. Seams were left open and frayed, so I called back and told the Manager not to send the same crew.
Same crew came, same results. Sent 2nd crew, again no English and fixed 2 of 3 seams. Called, GM sent "best crew", 1 spoke broken English, didn't repair and still waiting response. Called today and I am supposed to get call in 24 hours.
Do not buy from Empire, the biggest and expensive mistake I made.
The only response I got from the GM about employing Spanish speaking installers is that "It's the only ones I can find". GM also stated that the first crew was fired.
Empire SUCKS
I called the toll free number to schedule a free consultation and spoke to a very ignorant human being on the other end. I told her exactly what I needed 3 rooms of carpet the measurements etc..
She then informs me that I am not in their service area. I gave her the zip code of the twon 5 miles down the and she says, "oh yeah we service there". I then went off in a rage, with the condition of today's economy, unemployment at a all time high and she can deny a costly job five miles out of the COMPUTERS range. Bull *** Empire.
I will contact a local hard working person that deserves my business. Also, by the other reports on this site ai am glad it did not work out with these freaks...
Big Mistake using Epire Today!
We have only had our new carpet a little over a year
It looks worse then our 15 year old carpet we replaced. We don't even know if its the carpet we paid for because the workers brought the wrong carpet first. Most workers were non English speaking.
We can only vacuum our carpet in one direction in most places. It bunches up if vacuumed in other directions.
Every time I see the commercial on TV I want to scream! Believe me I'm telling everyone I know to stay away from Empire! I am very very disappointed Empire.
Empire Carpet is Misleading!
I had empire carpet come to my home for a free in home estimate. It was a total waste of time!
My home is 1949 sf and they were going to charge me nearly $14,000 for flooring then later lowered the price to almost $10,000. Empire also doesn't carry any vinyl for bathrooms or kitchens. I went to a local flooring contractor and he is able to put flooring in my home for $5200 with the same quality materials with a better carpet pad.
Empire is a rip off! Don't waste your time unless you need carpet the next day and want to pay double!
Empire Carpet in Aberdeen Maryland stood me up ruined night
I made an one line apt 2 weeks in advance for measurments and sales pitch for one room and one hallway. Tuesday 33�9 time 7-9PM.
They e mailed me a confirmaton the day I made the on line apt.
So last night my spouse and I were ready and set to go at 7PM. I tidied up the house, made a pot of coffee and waited...
9:48 PM phone my rings; guess who?
The man identified himself, stated he was with a customer and the apt had ran late and he was still 40 miles from my home and would not be able to make the pre-schuled time frame. He was sorry and said I should call to make another apt.
Not.
Fraudulent Sales Practices, Shoddy Materials, Terrible Customer Service
Having read through all of the complaints on various sites against Empire Today a.ka. Empire Carpets, I realize that my story is not unique. It seems that Empire has a long history of fraudulent sales practices, and selling inferior products. My story is long, but please read through all of it if you are even considering ordering anything from this scam outfit. Please read my report and any others on here before you think about giving this rip-off company a dime of your money.
Back in September of 2007, I was planning a party at my home scheduled for Saturday, October 20, 2007. I had recently remodeled my kitchen, which made my carpets in the remainder of the first floor look rather worn out. These carpets had been installed for about 10-12 years, and while not in dire need of replacement, certainly were in need of updating to match the rest of the recent renovations.
Having purchased carpet and had it installed by Home Depot at one of my rental properties (a VERY high traffic installation), I was familiar with their service, and quality of their carpets. They had done an excellent job at a very reasonable price. I decided to bring my business back to them for my needs at my home. I visited the local Home Depot in Manchester NH, and they came to my house on September 30th for an estimate. After selecting the same carpets and pad I had installed in my rental property, they gave me the price....$1,400. I told them I was very happy with that, and asked it to be scheduled ASAP. It was explained to me that they were very busy at the time, and could do the job around the 3rd week of October.
Since this was very close to the date of my party, I decided I did not want to risk not having the carpets completed by that date. I told them that I would have to find someone who could do it sooner. Later that evening, I saw the Empire Carpets commercial on one of the local channels. The idea of "quality products and next day installation" sounded great. I gave them a call and set up an appointment for a salesperson to come to my house.
On October 2nd, 2007 Janice Arel with Empire Carpets in Manchester NH arrived at my home. She came into my home and introduced herself. She met my 6 year old daughter, 8 year old daughter, 3 year old Chocolate lab, 5 year old Black lab, and my wife. I showed her the areas I wanted to have carpeted. After a few more minutes of exchanging pleasantries, we sat down at the kitchen table to discuss my carpeting needs.
I started by explaining to Janice that I needed carpeting that would hold up to a very high traffic condition. I further stated that having 2 children, 2 dogs, and 2 adults walking on the carpet daily, I needed a good quality carpet that would hold up to this type of use. She told me "we'll fix you right up". She went back out to her car and returned shortly with her sample book. We started reviewing my choices.
Having previously had carpeting installed by Home Depot in one of my rental properties, I was somewhat familiar with what I was looking for. The carpeting installed by HD has been in my rental property (a very high traffic application with 4 children and 2 adults) for 4 years, and still looks new. I wanted to have the same type of carpet installed at my home.
After a few minutes, I found a nearly identical carpet and pad to the one I had selected from the Home Depot salesperson a few days earlier. It was very similar to what I had installed in my rental property. Immediately after I selected this carpet/pad combination, Ms. Arel told me "Oh no, you don't want that combination, it will never stand up to the traffic". I again told her that I had installed the same thing in my rental property 4 years ago and it still looked great. She again assured me that this particular combination (estimated by her at $1,450 installed) would not work out.
She stated that I definitely did not want a thick pad or carpet because it would show wear sooner. She directed me towards a carpet/pad combination that quite honestly looked much cheaper than my first choice. I AGAIN reiterated that I did not want to be changing the carpet in a few years. She assured me that this carpet pad combination would do the trick. I said "OK, you are the expert". I did not know how soon I would live to regret those words.
I asked her about the pricing. She told me it would be $2,150 installed. She told me it was the best she could do. Since it was $700 more than the carpet I wanted, I immediately told her to forget it. Strangely enough, her "best deal" suddenly got better, and she dropped the price to $1,950. When I again asked if she could do better, she told me if I signed up for THEIR credit card, she could drop it lower. I did so, and the "best she could do" suddenly dropped to $1,840.
Since I was desperate to have the job completed in time for my party, I agreed. Before signing the paperwork I again asked her if she was sure the carpet she recommended would stand up to my needs. She assured me that this would definitely do it, and if I went with my first choice I would likely be changing the carpets in a year or two. How prophetic of her, because I am now faced with changing them after taking the advice of Empire Carpet's "expert". It is clear that Empire's salespeople are trained to milk the customer for the most money, and not to take their best interests into account when recommending carpet.
I signed the paperwork, and prepared to have my carpeting installed.
NEXT DAY CARPETS? NOT. This is another integral part of the scam. You see their advertisements every day promoting next day installation. They do not provide it! The only reason I went with Empire in the first place was because they could have the job done before my party. They assured me that it would be done in time. Were they done in time? Yes, by 1 day. The salesperson was at my house on October 2nd, and the carpets were finally installed on October 19th, one day before my party!! There was a litany of excuses why it took over 2 weeks to have them installed, but once again, Empire's fraudulent sales tactics shined through. If I wanted to wait until 1 day before, I would have had Home Depot do the job for a lower price with better quality.
So, on October 19th, 2007 two young gentlemen arrived at my home to begin installation of the carpet. Both of these young men were very polite, professional, and efficient. They did a very quick job of installing the carpet, and removing the old carpets. When they were done they asked if I had any questions. I said no, tipped them $20 each and said goodbye. These subcontractors (NOT Empire employees) were the only part of my Customer Service experience with Empire that was remotely professional.
After only about 1 week, the transition strips between the new carpet and my living room, bedrooms and bathrooms were bending and pulling up. The nails that held the strips in place were popping out daily. One morning one of my dogs was lying on the floor choking on one of these nails that were supposed to secure these strips. The strips were made of a cheap, inferior gage metal and the nails used were too short to hold them in place. This was just the beginning of my nightmare with the quality of their products and services.
I spent the next week or so walking around with a hammer pounding these nails back in place. After 2 weeks of doing this, I went back to my local Home Depot, and bought heavier gage strips and the proper length nails. I replaced all of the strips, and just wrote this off as a "fluke" and since it did not cost much to repair, I did not call to complain. I simply decided to move on and not worry about it.
My problems continued for about 6 months, as the carpet was shedding like one of my labs in the hot humid New Hampshire summer. I called the 800 number to complain about this, and was told that this was "perfectly normal" and would subside after time. Well sure enough, it did subside after about 6 months. Unfortunately not only the fuzz of the carpet fibers had gone away, so had the original shine, luster, and 2 tone color of the rug. I again called to complain, and was again told by an "associate" who refused to identify herself that this was "normal".
We continued to maintain the carpet at normal intervals, vacuuming 3 times a week. While the carpet was certainly not dirty, it did NOT look like a carpet that was only 7 months old. I thought that perhaps it just needed to be professionally cleaned, and contracted a commercial cleaning company to clean the rug. $125 later, the carpet still looked like it had been in my house for 5 years. Around this same time, I noticed yet another problem with the carpet. Anywhere where there was traffic, the carpet was compacted down so that there is literally no cushion between the rug and the plywood below. By contrast, anywhere that was not walked on still looked new. This carpet that I was told I had to have by their "trained salesperson" was falling apart below my feet.
Since I travel on business 30 weeks a year, I simply learned to live with it. It was not until my wife urged me every day for a month that I decided to call and try to file a formal complaint with Empire Carpets. The carpets were badly worn anywhere that there was traffic, and the pad was completely compressed. I began calling in November of 2008. After placing 3 phone calls and being promised I would receive a call, I was finally contacted in December by yet another "anonymous" associate who took my complaint, and explained that they needed to send someone out to see if it was installation related.
On December 29th, 2009 Empire finally sent a representative to check the installation. He was very polite, and friendly. He looked around for a few minutes, and then told me "it's not an install problem"(big surprise, huh?). I asked him how long he had been in the carpet business, and he said 25 years. I told him that I realized he could not comment on the cause. I asked him directly "off the record, should this carpet look like this after only 14 months?" He replied "no" and walked out of my house.
On January 2nd, 2009 I received a voice mail from someone named Eleanor (603-669-****) who stated that the results of the first inspection proved the issue was not installation related. She further stated that I now needed to allow an independent inspector (who in reality works in conjunction with carpet manufacturer) to come to my house to see if the issue is related to a defect in the carpet. I called Eleanor back 3 times that week, but did not hear back from her. Apparently Eleanor is the rep in the Manchester NH area.
On January 5th, I received a call from a Ron Assante with Inspect Solutions. He informed me that a gentleman by the name of Dana Masters would be contacting me to arrange an appointment to check the carpeting for defects. On January 12, I received a call from Mr. Masters who told me he would be at my house on January 14. I explained that I was in Dallas on business, but that my wife would be home and for him to go to the house. He did in fact show up on January 14.
Mr. Masters spent a total of about 10 minutes in the house. While the sub-standard carpeting showed signs of extreme wear throughout the living room, hallways and stairways, Mr. Masters took pictures only of an area in front of where my couch had once been. When asked why he did not inspect the hallways or stairways, Mr. Masters replied that he didn't need to. It is actually comical that in Mr. Master's "independent" report he only stated there was worn carpeting in the living room. Since he didn't even look at the hallway or stairways, he could not report on that. Sure enough, when the report came out, he ONLY discussed the living room. He only spoke of 1 area in front of the old couch location, and made no mention of the rest of the badly deteriorated carpet in the remainder of the house.
On January 21st, I received another "anonymous" call from an Empire rep. She explained to me that the damage was (drum roll please………) Consumer Related!!! How convenient that the "independent" inspector whose job it is to make sure the carpet manufacturer does not have to pay claims on their shoddy carpet came back with a report stating the issue was consumer related. I immediately told the woman I wanted to speak to a Supervisor. I was told none was available, and that I "needed to learn how to take care of my carpets" and I would not have this problem. I again asked for the name of a Supervisor, and was told that they do not give that information out.
On January 27, I got another voice mail from the elusive Eleanor stating that she heard that I was upset with the report, and wanted to review the report with me. I called her 4 times (603-669-****) over the next 2 days, and got voice mail every time. I left her 4 voice mails telling her I wanted the name and number of the highest person in the Empire organization. I never heard back from Eleanor.
On February 2nd, 2009 I received a call from a "Darlene" from Empire calling from a Massachusetts phone number (781-297-****). Darlene (who also would not give me her last name) started the conversation by stating that she wanted to go over the results of the report. I told her I was fully aware of the results, and that the results were BS. I told her the same long story I've laid out here, clearly explaining that it was an Empire employee who told me I HAD to get this particular carpet and pad combination if I wanted it to hold up. She told me that there was nothing she could do (unless I wanted to pay to upgrade the carpet) about the situation. I told her that their sales practices are fraudulent, and that I was convinced to buy a much more expensive carpet based on false promises in an effort to increase the amount of my sale.
I asked her if she thought they owed me something for outright lying, and supplying sub-standard materials. She said "Tom, if we gave out money every time we had a problem, we would have been out of business a long time ago". I replied back to her "if you didn't use fraudulent sales practices and provided good quality products you wouldn't need to worry about giving out money, would you?" She did not speak for about 10 seconds. I went on to tell her that I am not someone who is looking for something that I do not deserve. I told her all I wanted was to get what I paid for in the beginning, nothing more, nothing less. She thought about that for a minute and then said "Tom, you sound sincere and I think we should do something about this. I am going to have Helen Brown call you." When I asked for Helen Brown's email address and phone #, I was again told that they do not give that information out and that I needed to wait for Ms. Brown to call me.
On February 5, I received a call from Ms. Brown. (1-88*-588-**** X 7782) If her name sounds familiar, it should. Her name is all over the consumer chat boards, generally because she is the one who they send the angry consumers who have been ripped off. Sadly, if you read the other stories she never does anything to resolve the situation.
I once again told my long sad story to Ms. Brown. Ms. Brown listened very politely while I talked for about 20 minutes. At the end I again told her that I felt that there Sales tactics were fraudulent, and intended to rip off customers. I further stated that I was not as upset that the carpet DID wear, I was upset because the Empire sales rep purposely defrauded me out of additional money to sell me inferior carpet that could never stand up to my needs.
After listening to me, she again reminded me that the report stated it was consumer related. I asked her if she had listened to anything I had said in the previous 20 minutes. She stated that they would replace the carpet, if I paid to have it installed. I asked her "let me get this straight, you want me to pay to re-install the same junk carpet so that I can be in the same situation in 6 months???" She immediately replied "well, if you want to upgrade to a carpet that will suit your needs you could pay the difference and pay to install it." I immediately replied back "now you want me to spend another $1,000 just to get the carpet that your salesperson assured me I was getting in the first place?"
I told her this is unacceptable, and that I wanted the name of the president, VP, or whoever is the highest up in the company. Once again, I was told that this information could not be given out, and that I would have to speak to the "Regional Manager" a Charles Edwards of Philadelphia. I asked her for his name and phone number and (you guessed it…..) she could not give out that information. I told her to have him call me. Today is January 9, and I have still not heard from Mr. Edwards.
My question to anyone who is thinking of giving this scam outfit one dime is this: If they were truly an honest and forthright company, why would they go to such lengths to hide any means of contacting people there? I have scoured the internet for email addresses, phone numbers, or physical address and come up with nothing. It is obvious that they do this for a reason……….if they didn't their email and phones would be blowing up with inquiries from ripped-off customers like me.
In summary, please do not even think of using this company for anything. You WILL end up just like every other person who has posted a similar story to mine. Nothing will ever be done; they will take your cash, and leave you wondering how you could have fallen for such an outright scam. They train their people to lie in an effort to increase sales, and use low quality materials to do the job. They do not care about repeat sales, all they want is one shot at you……….it's all they need.
Please, spread the word about these thieves. Don't let this happen to you, your loved ones or friends.
Thank you,
TomNew Boston, NH
GetALife, I don't think they are the ones that need to get a life. For all practical purposes, there are only three mills out there.
Mohawk & Shaw are two of them. Both these mills make great carpets which is true, but they both make horrible quality carpets as well as every quality in between. It is up to the retailer if they want to sell great carpets or poor quality carpets. Obviously, if they sell poor quality carpets for higher prices, then their profit goes up.
Not there is anything wrong with making a profit...
all companies have to to stay in business. But in all fairness, it is possible to buy a carpet made from a great mill and still get a horrible quality carpet if that is what the retailer is selling you.
Some of you are ridiculous and need to be educated. Empire sells carpet made by Mohawk & Shaw, the two best carpet makers in the business!
So to sit here and cry about the carpets they sale being inferior just shows your stupidity. Get a life *** and quit trying to ruin the reputation of a good company!
I have been certified through training in Mohawk one of the leading carpet manufactures, I have trained for many years in the manufacturing and sales of carpet.I read the inspection report and believe me they are very hard for the average person to understand. Sounds like they need to change there settings and maintain the carpet better.
But with any carpet there is no such thing as a wear warranty that will stop the carpet from crushing down. You have texture retention but there is still no warranty that will stop carpet 100% from crushing. Read them most state 10% fiber loss with in a certain amount of time.As far as the next day install comment and the quality of installers you have no clue what your talking about. If you feed installers every day with work they don\'t starve so they are better installers and there around longer.
Stick with inspecting ok as far as the rest your three day certificate will do nothing for you.I worked for a very large flooring dealer and we had to get our inspection certificates also. Ohio three days and every year I update it. But I have ran and supervised stores for many years very large dealers. Yes next day installers are much better quality because they don\'t sit around take side jobs to feed there family and hope they get called in.
The bad ones are taking side jobs and sitting around then when you need them there tied up in the middle of something else and can\'t do the job or don\'t show up.The installers most companies like Empire and Dalton Direct and other companies that deal in flooring use are bonded and have a large reserve on hand so that if they make a mistake they are responsible for the mistake and have to pay for it.Ask home depot if they do this here in Detroit I know who they use there old New York Carpet world rejects we would never touch there installers there awful.If you don\'t like the inspection report go into the yellow pages hire your own and take both and compare them. If yours is different than go to small claims and sue the manufacture.I have told many customers if there not happy with the inspector the mill hires and the report they have the right to hire there own here they cost about 75.00 to 125.00 and if your is different the judge more than likely will make the mill reimburse you for the cost.Yes there are shady inspectors just like installers and sales people. Remember who pays them to do the job and how much business they can get from a mill compared to a consumer.I have read lots of reports that have sided with mills and had to fight for the customer and yes they have been wrong.As far as customers I have ethics and when a customer says which I have had very few in my years but when they say I need a carpet that will not mat. I tell them to put laminate or hard wood all carpet will mat to an extent.
Just like stain proof there is no such thing.Just remember one thing if you had an installer sitting around waiting for a job that means they are of no quality.The good installers have more work than they can handle and that\'s the next day installers they have thousands of yards a week to install and can not afford to make mistakes. If they do they loose a days worth of work correcting them. By the way every one has a right to correct there mistake. And I have never met any company or person that is mistake proof have you?Also every carpet retailer and I mean every one from Dalton Direct to carpet center to Empire to world of floors all will discount a carpet if a customer is serious about buying just like furniture stores car dealers etc.
But to call a company and ask them to measure and sit there and educate you on flooring in your own front room to ask them to spend there gas and cater to you so that you can waist there time and shop them from store to store is selfish and wrong. Home Depot will not go to your home and pamper you but you compare the service??????????Your not comparing the same quality of service let alone the products. That sales girl first of all did not force you to give her money it was your fault for waiting until the last minute. And she did what any sales person does she tried to sell the product at the manufactures price and wanted a customer so she called her manager and asked for a better price so that you would buy from her and she could make a very small fee to pay for her gas guess what she made for driving to your house and sitting there two hours with you and measuring your home?56.00 that\'s it so keep your comments on the poor sales girl alone really you had the option to read the back of the sample its clear on the wear and what it covers.And out of that 56.00 she pays insurance gas and taxes.
Home Depot and Lowes charges 35.00 for a measure think about that one. If you purchase the flooring it goes towards the bill did you forget to mention that?I guess she should have catered to you let you beat her up on price and measure for you then spend her gas instead of yours and not made a dime right?In home service is cheaper because there sub contractors that work for the company. There\'s no over head but if you choose to save your gas and sit at home on a rainy day and be pampered with service your going to pay for it.Most sales people are trained because of the economy to take every deal from the competition and to call a manager. Alot of these deals are taken at cost or close to to keep the installers busy and to keep the lights on.
So just because a sales person lowers her price it does not mean she is trying to rip you off it just means she is trying to do what it takes to keep the deal and the order with her company. By the way Job well done.Mr inspector keep the installer comments to your self you have no clue what it takes to keep the business going and the customer happy, Take that three day certificate and use it for the mill you represent. oops your independent right?
wink wink.Buy the way working in the commercial industry for three years as a project manager estimator I have seen shady things with mill reps let me tell you and the inspectors there are mistakes lots of them.The first person in flooring that I worked for was Marvin Berlin the owner of New York Carpet Word ever heard of him? A legend
Wow this was to long to read get to the point. Every company has there own styles just because it felt the same and looked the same does not mean in any way shape or form its the same carpet. Was it a poly or nylon? and for what you paid it sounds cheap to be a very good quality.
I have done business with the home depot they don't have installers they give you a company to use there not in the business to install.
Also home depot sales people are not trained in professional flooring sales. I worked there.
It sounds like you ordered a special order product and that's why its not on your post other wise you would have had it done the next day.
If it was a loop carpet of course you can not use a thick pad and if home depot showed you one it proves my point they have no clue.
There is a big difference buying from a box store and a shop at home service. Try to get your problem fixed from home depot.
Sounds like you have a hard time letting anyone satisfy your complaints you have to many of them.
Thank god you never came into my carpet store you would have been a night mare customer read your post its a book.
Get to the facts and stop the drama. I couldn't follow after the third paragraph you were just nit picking .
Keep buying your products from home depot please and stay off the streets the little guys can't afford customers like you.
Well...I am currently in the process of replacing the flooring we currently have in the second floor of the house we just purchased last week...so far I have gotten 4 quotes and one of them included Empire I figured with there so call promotions it would be a great opportunity to take advantage of. BOY was I wrong!
The other 3 quotes I got yesterday in the morning where all in the $4,000.00 for wood laminate and I was given written quotes with an itemized invoice with explanations of what that price included...the square footage etc etc. Empire quoted me $11,375.00 just about 2.84times more than the other 3 quotes...totally off!! Well, I asked the salesman to please explain to me where that price came from, what is the price based on....what's the price of the materials, installation anything by square footage. He told me that price is based on the quality of his job and they do not price by square footage.
This makes no sense!
Specially since growing up my stepdad had a Tile Company and trust me I did learn a thing or two...this is totally ridiculous. I told him I needed an answer a little less abstract and a little more numer/measurement related.
:(
I see what I wrote below ended up above the "report" I was talking about. Scroll down further below what I had posted below and you will see the report to which I was referencing.
The key words in the report above are "The texture change is considered normal for a carpet of this length, density and construction,..." Obviously, the density and construction were inferior. Had the salesperson sold a better quality carpet, it would not have been normal texture change.
Also, the report states "A minimal texture change was found with no matting..." but later says "The carpet does not exhibit signs of "wear" but normal flattening of the tufts". Hmmmm... in carpet verbiage, matting and flattening are the same thing. I think this "independent" inspector (and who do you think pays this inspector?) is a little confused.
Is there matting and flattening, or not? Also, the report says "...did not exhibit fuzzing, tip bloom, or loss of twist." But later states "The texture change found in this carpet is caused by the minor twist loss and packing of the pile..." Once again, this clown (inspector) is contradicting himself. Was there no loss of twist, or was there some twist loss?? In any event, it sounds like the salesperson talked the customer into buy a cheap 5 year wear warranty quality carpet and told them it was a good quality to increase the profits.
I have nothing against making profits, but I do have a problem telling a customer they are getting something good when they are not. If the carpet does not have at least a 15 or 20 year wear warranty, then stay away if finances permit.
Cheap 5 year carpets actually tend to look in bad shape after a number of months. Empire has been known to sell inferior quality carpets at high prices here in Tucson, and their reputation forced them to close down in this area.
Empire's Corp. office # (888)588-****
Rob Nemoy is the person to speak to.
As a Professional Certified Independent Floorcovering Inspector, it never ceases to amaze me the amount of or lack of responsibility and accountibilty an idividual is willing to except for their actions. An individual who has absolutely no knowledge or experience regarding a product should not slander or insult an individual who does unless they educate themselves on the product in question enough to INTELLIGENTY dispute/agrue the issue. As an independent inspector, it is my responsiblity to identify the complaint ADDRESSED by the consumer, ask questions of the consumer, conduct the necessary tests, and determine the cause/origin of the complaint. As an indepenent, I do not care who is at fault, my job is to provide the answer to the consumer's concern.
I would like to remind the reader that as stated by Mr. Pivovar, he was not present at the time of the inspection and therefore recieved second hand information from another source. Therefore Mr. Pivovar's comments regarding the inspection process and length of time spent assessing the concerns are heresay and speculative. The area of concern adrressed by this inspector was the area expressed by the individual who was present during the inspection.
It's unfortunate, due to the apparent importance of Mr. Pivovar's concerns regarding the carpet that his demanding travel/business schedule would not permit him to schedule an appointment with this inspector more accommodating to himself.
Below please find the report in its unaltered verbage detailing the concerns, tests, and conclusion of the inspection of Mr. Pivovar's carpet inspection. If the reader wishes to view the entire photo catalog of the pictures obtained during the inspection please contact me; my name has already been slandered by Mr. Pivovar so it should be quite easy to obtain my contact info.
Inspection Date: 01/14/2009
Address Inspected: [Same As Consumer Address]
Construction: Tufted Plush Vacuum Type: Upright w/brush
Secondary Backing: Action Vacuum Frequency: Daily
Spot Treatment: None Cleaned By: Professional
Seams Sealed?: N/A Cleaning Method: Shampooed
Condition of Carpet: Good Times Cleaned: 1
Heating: Baseboard Last Date Cleaned: Uncertain
AC System: No Adults: 2
Pets: 2 dogs Children: 2
Owner Occupied: Yes Rental Property: N/A
Facility Type: House
Observations / Tests:
This carpet was installed in October of 2007 in a residence occupied by two (2) adults, two (2) children, and two (2) dogs. It is installed over a wood subfloor with a stretch in over pad installation method in the living room, hall, and stairs. The consumer is concerned that the carpet is wearing excessively.
The carpet exhibits light to moderate flattening and a lighter and less textured appearance in the traffic areas. Mrs. Pivovar stated that the furniture was recently repositioned; with the furniture in the new locations, the affected areas of the carpet became more noticeable.
The carpet did not exhibit dirt/debris within the yarn bundles or at the base of the tufts near the backing. The tips of the tufts at the affected areas were lightly soiled but did not exhibit fuzzing, tip bloom, or loss of twist. The affected areas had a thick, stiff feel to the hand. Distilled water was applied to the tufts of the affected area. The water remained on the surface of the carpet for several seconds and required agitation to absorb into the tufts. No suds developed when the water was extracted with a pipet then dispensed into a Petri dish. The extracted water was cloudy due to extracted soiling/contaminants with the water. The pH test of the water indicated 8/9 on the scale; high alkalinity. Mrs. Pivovar allowed me to use the vacuum to vacuum a small area; light to moderate improvement was observed across the affected areas.
Conclusion:
The carpet does not exhibit signs of "wear" but normal flattening of the tufts in the traffic areas, primarily in front the sofa (where the sofa was prior to relocation) due to foot traffic and exaggerated by an accumulation of cleaning residue and light topical soiling.
The condition observed within this carpet is known as packing. Packing is the normal, “apparent†random variation in shade that is attributable to slight variations in pile caused by repeated traffic. All cut pile carpet will pack down under repeated foot traffic. Carpet that is packed down can be lifted with a vacuum cleaner that is properly adjusted. Packing or shading is an inherent characteristic of cut pile carpet, and is not considered a manufacturing related defect.
A minimal texture change was found with no matting or entangling of the filaments and no abrasive wear of the tufts. The texture change found in this carpet is caused by the minor twist loss and packing of the pile in the traffic areas. A blossomed tuft will deflect the light in such a way so as to cause the pile to appear lighter in color. The texture change is considered normal for a carpet of this length, density and construction, under the traffic conditions found in this home.
Carpet is a textile, and all textiles will show a texture change after a short time of use. In a cut pile carpet, the texture change generally shows up after a short time, and does not become more pronounced for several years. The texture change present in this carpet will not affect its performance.
There are no manufacturing related issues with this carpet.
In closing, I ask that the reader please keep in mind that when a consumer has a problem with one entity, it often generates a distaste for all those involved and comments may be exaggerated and or emotionally charged.
If Mr. Pivovar required further explanation or clarification, he could have utilized one of the several websites developed by floor covering manufacturers to veiw the construction, maintenance, expectation of performance, and warranty information.
As a Professional Certified Independent Floorcovering Inspector, it never ceases to amaze me the amount of or lack of responsibility and accountibilty an idividual is willing to except for their actions. An individual who has absolutely no knowledge or experience regarding a product should not slander or insult an individual who does unless they educate themselves on the product in question enough to INTELLIGENTY dispute/agrue the issue. As an independent inspector, it is my responsiblity to identify the complaint ADDRESSED by the consumer, ask questions of the consumer, conduct the necessary tests, and determine the cause/origin of the complaint. As an indepenent, I do not care who is at fault, my job is to provide the answer to the consumer's concern.
I would like to remind the reader that as stated by Mr. Pivovar, he was not present at the time of the inspection and therefore recieved second hand information from another source. Therefore Mr. Pivovar's comments regarding the inspection process and length of time spent assessing the concerns are heresay and speculative. The area of concern adrressed by this inspector was the area expressed by the individual who was present during the inspection.
It's unfortunate, due to the apparent importance of Mr. Pivovar's concerns regarding the carpet that his demanding travel/business schedule would not permit him to schedule an appointment with this inspector more accommodating to himself.
Below please find the report in its unaltered verbage detailing the concerns, tests, and conclusion of the inspection of Mr. Pivovar's carpet inspection. If the reader wishes to view the entire photo catalog of the pictures obtained during the inspection please contact me; my name has already been slandered by Mr. Pivovar so it should be quite easy to obtain my contact info.
Inspection Date: 01/14/2009
Address Inspected: [Same As Consumer Address]
Construction: Tufted Plush Vacuum Type: Upright w/brush
Secondary Backing: Action Vacuum Frequency: Daily
Spot Treatment: None Cleaned By: Professional
Seams Sealed?: N/A Cleaning Method: Shampooed
Condition of Carpet: Good Times Cleaned: 1
Heating: Baseboard Last Date Cleaned: Uncertain
AC System: No Adults: 2
Pets: 2 dogs Children: 2
Owner Occupied: Yes Rental Property: N/A
Facility Type: House
Observations / Tests:
This carpet was installed in October of 2007 in a residence occupied by two (2) adults, two (2) children, and two (2) dogs. It is installed over a wood subfloor with a stretch in over pad installation method in the living room, hall, and stairs. The consumer is concerned that the carpet is wearing excessively.
The carpet exhibits light to moderate flattening and a lighter and less textured appearance in the traffic areas. Mrs. Pivovar stated that the furniture was recently repositioned; with the furniture in the new locations, the affected areas of the carpet became more noticeable.
The carpet did not exhibit dirt/debris within the yarn bundles or at the base of the tufts near the backing. The tips of the tufts at the affected areas were lightly soiled but did not exhibit fuzzing, tip bloom, or loss of twist. The affected areas had a thick, stiff feel to the hand. Distilled water was applied to the tufts of the affected area. The water remained on the surface of the carpet for several seconds and required agitation to absorb into the tufts. No suds developed when the water was extracted with a pipet then dispensed into a Petri dish. The extracted water was cloudy due to extracted soiling/contaminants with the water. The pH test of the water indicated 8/9 on the scale; high alkalinity. Mrs. Pivovar allowed me to use the vacuum to vacuum a small area; light to moderate improvement was observed across the affected areas.
Conclusion:
The carpet does not exhibit signs of "wear" but normal flattening of the tufts in the traffic areas, primarily in front the sofa (where the sofa was prior to relocation) due to foot traffic and exaggerated by an accumulation of cleaning residue and light topical soiling.
The condition observed within this carpet is known as packing. Packing is the normal, “apparent†random variation in shade that is attributable to slight variations in pile caused by repeated traffic. All cut pile carpet will pack down under repeated foot traffic. Carpet that is packed down can be lifted with a vacuum cleaner that is properly adjusted. Packing or shading is an inherent characteristic of cut pile carpet, and is not considered a manufacturing related defect.
A minimal texture change was found with no matting or entangling of the filaments and no abrasive wear of the tufts. The texture change found in this carpet is caused by the minor twist loss and packing of the pile in the traffic areas. A blossomed tuft will deflect the light in such a way so as to cause the pile to appear lighter in color. The texture change is considered normal for a carpet of this length, density and construction, under the traffic conditions found in this home.
Carpet is a textile, and all textiles will show a texture change after a short time of use. In a cut pile carpet, the texture change generally shows up after a short time, and does not become more pronounced for several years. The texture change present in this carpet will not affect its performance.
There are no manufacturing related issues with this carpet.
In closing, I ask that the reader please keep in mind that when a consumer has a problem with one entity, it often generates a distaste for all those involved and comments may be exaggerated and or emotionally charged.
If Mr. Pivovar required further explanation or clarification, he could have utilized one of the several websites developed by floor covering manufacturers to veiw the construction, maintenance, expectation of performance, and warranty information.
A couple things to consider:
1) Next day? Not many dealers can afford quality installers available on a day's notice.
2) Pay CAREFUL attention to the ads. Free this & free that - - who works for free?
3) As an "independent inspector" I'm hired by anyone willing to pay (manufacturers, installers, homeowners, lawyers, etc). My policy is the same: I look at everything and document it, then I report what I see, period!
4) By far the biggest problem is salespeople who don't know what they are selling or are only interested in their commission. The second biggest problem are consumers who expect to pay the least but demand more from the product than it can deliver.
5) By all means hire your own inspector, someone with credentials. If your concerns are correct the manufacturer WILL stand up for you. Empire doesn't make the stuff they sell, and manufacturers have more to lose.
6) In my experience inspecting carpets the "next day" and big box companines are not that different and I thank them every day. The workmanship & sales practices provide me with a constant flow of business.
7) Finally, there are exceptions to every rule. I've met some excellent installers who work for these companies; conscientious craftsman who are skilled at what they do, so don't be that quick to brand them with the same brush.
Empire Carpet: Overpriced, Shady Sales Tactics, Lame Selection
Last night we had a lady from empire carpets over the house to measure and give us an estimate. I have several complaints.
First, I asked her why in this day and age she would use a tape measure instead of a laser tool to measure. She claimed tape measures are more acccurate. yeah, maybe in a house of mirrors! Well... when I held the tape measure for her against the wall in one of my cluttered rooms and watched the tape measure sag greatly in the middle while she wrote down numbers I understood. She's overmeasuring!!!! I objected and she re-measured. After that she went out and got samples from the car for me and the wife to look at while she had roamed the house free of my scrutinization. I knew right then it wasn't going to turn out well.
So, we're looking at the samples and are not impressed. Of the syle we selected we were given only 12 that were of any decent quality to select from. They all had the same ugly speckles in them. There was only one that we even kind of liked so we told her we were interested in that one. We were told the selection is limited because they only warehouse the most popular styles and that's why their prices are so low.
Speaking of not so low prices... let's get to the estimate. So after playing with her calculator for about 5 minutes she starts writing down numbers. She starts off around 13k (this is for 150 sq yds of carpet). She adds various discounts. One of the discounts is $850 for fast installation. In other words, if we sign a deal right then and there, otherwise we lose it. Yeah right.. what a lame high pressure sales tactic. If I call back tomorrow in this economy they won't give me that price? Give me a break!
The final price is 7k. I"ve gotten estimates 2k lower for much nicer carpet. I ask her for a breakdown. I'm told they don't do that. That's how other carpet companies rip you off I'm told. They just give you a bottom line that includes everything. Here's the best part.... She told me she can't break it down because they're just given "functions" that they plug numbers in to and get a final price. In the same breath she tells me she factored in the fact that I ripped up the carpets already. How's that possible if their just given "functions"?
Listen people... if a company can't tell you what they're charging you for then they are scamming you. The bottom line on empire is that they have a terrible selection, are grossly overpriced, and shady.
Oh, and the best part was she couldn't tell us whether our credit would be approved until AFTER we ordered the carpets.. which we would have to put a deposit down for. LOL. *** off empire!
Laser measuring tapes hit objects that you have in your room. They are not accurate in measuring a room full of stuff.
I perfer a person to use a regular tape measure when doing my home. I understand that they also have to measure to the door moulding so that they have enough materials. Most floors have waste and carpet is one of them, more so than hardwood or tile because you have to purchase the whole width. I had a great experience with Empire and would use them again and again.
Better than waiting the four weeks I had to wait when I purchased from Lowes. I also had to pay up front with Lowes.
Empire I paid when them came to install and the guys were great. They did a beautiful job on my steps.
Most companies can not run your credit without a contract signed. It's against the law in most states.
Wow - am I glad I read up on these guys..
as a result I WILL NOT BE CALLING THEM for our new flooring! Yipes! Thank you
for warning the public!
thats great u did not go with them,but u sound like a real *** anyway,with your tape measure thing who cares what they use(this day and age laser)
As a bricks and mortor flooring retailer I can tell you I am constantly following behind empire employees, i have interviewed them and i know their ins and outs. No sour grapes, I am just telling the truth when I tell you they have almost no training in flooring, they consistently over estimate by up to 20% and throw prices against the wall to see if the consumer is willing to *** then they discount after talking to thier "manager". If they still don't close you their manageer will ask to speak directly to the consumer because "my salesman is not doing his job" correctly.
Defending the Profession:
"Certified Flooring Consultant/Estimator". Did you have a 4 hour training class to earn that title? You're a salesman. I'm sure your training consisted of 90% high pressure sales tactics and 10% learning your product.
Did you not read my update down bottom bud? She overmeasured us by 16 sq. yards. Any dumb dumb could have seen that with the tape measure sagging to floor while she was over-measuring. You can use whatever tool you're comfortable with but people need to keep in mind the tape measure is giving you an opportunity to put the screws on them that a laser measuring device does not.
How dare you lecture a customer about what condition their house should be in while they remodel it! When a person decides to paint every room in their house, rip up their carpets and do a major remodelling it's going to be a mess. If you don't want to deal with it maybe you should stick to new construction. What a *** you are.
Hey, It's a year later and my house looks great now. $4500 instead of $7k for a much higher quality product and fantastic installation.
Stay AWAY from these theives!
I am getting a quote for carpet soon from Empire, and I am now a little scared about some of the things that I have read. Although I am just getting quotes this has helped me to be aware that if something sounds to good it probaly is a scam.
Even though every company that I have looked at online has had disatisfied customers, sometimes you just have to take a chance! Remember only two things in life are guaranteed Death and Taxes.
After reading all these comments,I decided not to deal with this company.I ended up getting 3 quotes from reputable companies.The one I was most impressed with was LOWES HOME IMPROVEMENT.The selection was huge,the customer service was excellent and the price was the BEST.They did charge me $35.00 to come out and measure but that was credited towards my sale.It was well worth the $35.00 even if I had not purchased, simply because the very nice man that came out explained where my seams were going to be,exactly what to expect the day of installation and what I needed to do to get prepared.There were no problems with me asking the amount of carpet that I needed or a breakdown of the cost.They did not try to hide anything. They were very honest as well as professional.I am very happy with my new carpet and plan to use them for new hardwoods as well....YOU ALL SHOULD GIVE THEM A CALL IF THERE IS ONE IN YOUR AREA I THINK YOU WILL BE PLEASANTLY SUPRISED.Good luck to all...
Just one comment related to your complaint.I am a certified flooring consultant/estimator(not for this company)But,when you mentioned that she used a tape measure instead of a laser,Ijust wanted to let you know that alot of us out here still do!I have always felt more comfortable with them!!!And really, in her defense,your room should not have been so cluttered that she could not get the tape from one side of the room to the other.I won't comment on the pricing issues because that does sound like a problem....Sometimes, customers (because they go to carpet guru.com)seem to think they know more than they actually do.
You were very smart to do what you decided to do, not go with them. I on the other hand , got screwed, if you read my *** off article.
I am so discussed with them and some B tells me that I am ***.
I think alot of people get sucked into the moment. I am glad to heard you were the wiser.
Price guarantee is a SCAM!
I had a sales guy out today. His price was 50% - 100% higher than 2 estimates I received from local contractors for similar quality laminate flooring and carpeting.
Here's the catch, the price guarantee is only for identical merchandise but you can only get the same brand of laminate from Empire. They are the only ones that carry it according to the sales guy. Therefore, no low price guarantee.
His claim was that you should be willing to pay a much higher price to buy from them (whatever) for a lifetime warranty. I'll get a 25 year warranty from anyone. Dont need a lifetime warranty, that's overkill.
Salesman was rude as well.
Also, you should know that you can only get the no interest financing if your credit score is 750 or higher. Not too many folks have that.
DONT WASTE YOUR TIME!! I cant believe people fall for this garbage.
Everyone who orders carpet from Empire. Is the price the salesman gives you is his price so he can make a buck.
To get cheap carpet or flooring is to complain to customer service(tell a fibb) after you order the carpet to get a discount or tell them to cancel the order.
IN THE SALESMAN ROOM THERE IS A SIGN "theres one born every minute" Meaning Idots like you. the customer
Empire is VERY EXPENSIVE. I got excellent quality and serivice from a local reputable company for HALF the price. Whats this 'Save 50%' ***??
Oh man , i hate them too !!
they quoted me 3000 around
and i got better carpet, plus nicer people for 1500, i just shoped around with local people. the sales guy, he was so rude that i told him where to go ...
They don't tell the high interest rate your account will be
If anyone was to ask about getting carpet from empire, I would sick to say, do not! I will never be able to pay my account off, rate is 23.99.
How is someone to pay that off with the economy now. I even paid a year before I had to and it didn't even dent the amount I ended up owing. I have call the credit card to ask if they could please lower the interest, but no way will they do that and not very nice the "escualtion specialist". Willing to still pay, wanted help to bring the rate down to help me.
Thanks for not being caring credit card.
Poor people all are able to get this cheap *** of carpet and then they get sucked into an account that is forever. The carpet isn't even that great by the time you pay it off too.
To Sally, in the moment of sitting at the table and the guy is telling you that you really good credit and he is on the phone, papers are being sigined you aren't really thinking of the rate, but since you think I am an ***, I bet you have done some *** a... things here, we just don't hear about it.
Back off, since you know so much. I just wanted them to lower the interest rate , so I could pay the cheap *** off. Actually I have learned that their credit card is in florida and they, after talking to dept. of labor, do NOT have to work with lower or do consolidation.
That's nice to know for some poor people here or some that lost their jobs and still want to keep their credit good in today *** world. :zzz
Did not replace area rug
i purchased hardwood floors,area carpet and 2 rooms of wall to wall. when the area rug started to fray in the corner i asked for it to be replaced.
i called at least 20 times i was told it would be replaced this was in june it is now jan and it still has not been replaced.
the service is so bad that i intend to reach the better business bureau about them and maybe my attorney i have the manager on tape telling me that they would replace it.empire today does not keep their word. Arlene Feindt
Empire TODAY
2004-**** I am telling you about EMPIRE TODAY I worked for this company as an installer from the ground up in the INDY MARKET Then I WAS PROMETED to A Management Position They mark up the prices on second Quality goods been doing this for 23 years they told me that my job was illiminated in indy had to go to Cin/dayton to keep my job That was A lie they laid me off after I trained a 8 dollar an hour Employee THEY LIE n YOU should Not Listen to any Sales person it will take you year to pay off carpet
To Sally,
You are the ***. Instead of focusing on his spelling, why don't you focus on the warning he is offering to the rest of.
You're the *** who will never learn anything in her life. Dummy you.
What is "PROMETED "? You're an ***.
No one would make you a manager. You never graduated from the 6th grade.
Empire Carpets
I purchased carpet from Empire on Nov 14, 2008. I did not receive any of my remnants, but the carpet looked nice. I received my credit card transaction on Dece 3, 2008. On Nov 15, 2008, my card was used to make a cash advancement for $726.99 from a "Xoon Corporation" located in CA. This corp specializes in money transactions.
My card was used for "business purposes". Originally, I had not made any purchases on the for 2-3mos and after spending $1200 on carpet, I wanted nothing else on the card.
Yes, I was taken advantage of. Empire has 3 places where credit card numbers, code and expiration dates are written in their files. When I spoke of the incident, The Empire representative denied that someone in their company could be so cruel and callous. It's Christmas time and some people will do anything for money.
I also called Empire earlier Dece 3 to report a snag. They told me someone would call me in 3-5 to schedule an appointment. When I called about my credit card incident and complained about the snag, the appointment was made immediately and they repaired the snag on Dece 5th. Be aware of Empire. I won't recommend them to my worst enemy.
Jacquelyn Paylor
Catonsville, MD
I used tp work for Empire and they are careless with credit card numbers. They make the sales person write your credit card number on the Purchase Order and it goes through all the copies.
They have a very high turnover on sales people so when the employee quits or get paid on that order they throw the order away. Anyone can get that information.
I am sorry that it happened to you. They screwed me too
I Am Beyond Pissed....
This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website.
Verified Reviewer New ReviewerI called Empire carpet, salesman came out, took measurements, and told me that I could pay in one lump sum or finance half and pay half. Well Dumb me gave a deposit of $1093.00 only to be denied the financing (and this was after I was told that the money would not be charged from my account until after the financing went through).
Well the money was taken from my account the very next morning and I am still trying to get my money back.
I will give it one more week and then I will file a small claims case. I am tired of trying to get my money back.
SOUNDS LIKE dreambml works for EMPIRE!!!!!!
I had National Floors Direct come out as well as Empire. My main point in commenting on this is that they are supposed to call and get the financing approved right then and there.
You cannot depend on someone who has nothing to do with the credit check/approval telling you it is fine. Number 2 point is that you have so many days to cancel, so if you did cancel the next day, you should have received a refund for what you were charged.
Anyway, we used Empire, had no problems, carpet and floors were done in a total of 8 hours, we paid cash, and it was $700 less than NFD. I guess it just really depends on your salesperson and then the workers.
Why in the world would you give them a dime before you were approved. Sounds like a no brainer to me..
thanks for warning me about empire
I plan on going else where....
Beware of the credit promise at Empire carpet
Maybe I should've read the fine print. They told me no payments for a year.
I figured I would accrue interest and that was okay. What I didn't get was the credit limit. My carpet was $3500 with no payments. When my first bill arrived I had $700 dollars of interest charged.
That was okay. But, my credit limit was only $3500 and now my account is $700 over limit. And, you guessed it. A $39 fee for being over limit, every month until I got caught up.
I was very upset. It took me a very long time to get it under my limit. And of course they wouldn't agree to raise my credit limit.
I felt completely duped and taken advantage of. I will never buy from Empire carpet again, nor will I use GE financial services.
you as the consumer is responsible for any contract that you sign regardless of what was verbably said
Same thing happened to me, and I DID read the fine print. My contract said 0% interest free for one year.
Nowhere was it mentioned that the offer was conditional upon full payment being made within the year. Nor the penalty - as stated in the original thread.
I am in NYC and THIS IS IN VIOLATION OF RULE 5-06 of NYC Dept of Consumer Affairs rules. I have filed a complaint with NYDCA and it is currently being acted upon.
Empire Carpet is a total Fraud
I contact Empire Carpet for an in-home estimate. The salesman, Sarkis, told me they could get me approved, no problem. He did not show me how he got the ridiculously high estimate, just the total amount. He also told me how bad my place looked.
Someone from Empire called me on the day I was to cancel the contract and told me that I had been approved and scheduled an installation.
When the installer came out, NOT FROM EMPIRE, he wanted cash! I told him I had been approved for financing. I called my salesman who told me, "yes I had been approved and he would call the manager." Then some guy from finance called me and said I had not been approved and this has never happened before. Right!
I'm SO GLAD they did not install anything for me. The workman started touching my valuable items to move them without my authorization and the foreman said he couldn't do the whole floor - I would have to paint some of it. What? That would have looked horrible.
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I guess I will go back to my old tried and true source... I figured something had to be paying for All Those High-Priced Commercials (and Bargain Prices couldn't do that)... Thanks