Empire Today
Reviews and Complaints

The first installers put the quarter round on and did not caulk it, so there were large obvious gaps, and he said I could do it later. Also cut the carpets too short and the under padding, my bedrooms now look like crap. So I called Empire and had them come back and fix it. Also cut the carpets too short and the under padding, my bedrooms now look like crap. The transitions did not match or go with the floor, they eventually peeled with in a year and they replaced them. Then the hallway separated, I had a different person show up, he literally kicked it back in place. Two weeks later they were gapped, they sent a different guy out and he determined there was a flaw in the flooring, the same guy that kicked my floor came back they replaced the entire hallway. Then the floor in the kitchen cracked in one spot where they went over the nail, and the ugly mismatched transitions finally got replaced. This group of subs took the dirt and literally swept it under my little carpet in the kitchen and hid the dirt under the cabinet.

For all of this, I had 5 days that I had to make arrangements with my job to work from home. Empire offered me a credit for $75.00 I spent close to 5k on these floors - thanks for the added insult

They took my money and then kept procrastinating about doing the work. They are scheming liars. Don't trust them.

I had carpet and laminate installed in October 2021. The salesperson measured laminate in

Correctly so the job was only half finished until three days later. Two weeks ago I discovered a tear in the laminate on the face of one of the steps. I called and the rep questioned how I clean the steps how much traffic is on them. He asked that I de d pictures- close up, far way, top of step etc. I immediately sent the pictures. No response after 3 more phone calls. Today I called again and was told I would be charged to repair this. Even though there is a limited lifetime warranty He said stairs are not covered

The cHarge would be $150-300 This is ridiculous. I asked for someone to come and look he said it would be an installer based on the previous installers I have little hope this will be resolved to my satisfaction and before you say you can’t locate my account based on this information the activity number associated with this project is 56:1343614

I purchased carpet from Empire Flooring in 2019 and was satisfied with the outcome. However, when I contacted them this year to select a new carpet, I had an entirely different experience:

1. The sales person used fast-talking bait-and-switch sales tactics.

2. Only one of the four carpet samples brought was close to what I wanted.

3. The salesperson wanted me to purchase the carpet that was "on special" and I looked at it carefully. I wanted a very dark, almost black, carpet, but the darkest one in that selection turned greenish in different lights

4. I rejected that carpet and looked at the others to consider.

5. The sales person began to quote different carpet prices and "markdowns" without showing me the specific carpets priced.

6. All of the carpet prices were very high, but finally one price given was something I could afford.

7. I put down a deposit of $975.80 believing it was for one of the alternatives I had considered positively.

8. When the carpet shipped, I discovered that it was not only the carpet I had rejected, but it was a bright green, even worse than the original dark green color that was unacceptable.

9. That was more than three weeks ago. Empire has made it difficult to reach anyone who would agree to return my deposit. I want my money back, and I will never do business with them again.

Purchased carpet 4 years ago. They now look terrible. Seams are coming apart and they look very worn. We don’t even wear shoes in the house. I cleaned them myself once. When I called today to put in a warranty claim they told me I needed a professional receipt for cleaning. Yea have a 30 year warranty and after 4 years I am now screwed. I would never recommend this company with this type of customer service. I am very upset and highly disappointed. This seems very unfair. They should be able to do something for me after 4 years.

We had LVP flooring installed in our kitchen and dining room on December 17, 2021. When the installer went to install the flooring in our hallway and small carpeted strip at the end of the hallway, they found old asbestos tiles under the carpeting. We were told by Shane Sullivan at Empire-Today that we had to have the carpet removed and asbestos tiles under it removed and sealed and air retested after abatement to verify no asbestos was in the air. We had the carpet removed, asbestos removed, area was sealed and air was sampled and the lab report indicated no asbestos present. We received official letters from Inspector verifying once again no asbestos. The lab report indicating no asbestos and report stating the work was competed in removal of asbestos and air was clear of any asbestos. We then were told by Empire-Today we had to have a Clean Air Certificate. We have searched the Internet, spoken to several Asbestos testing labs and no one has heard of this Clean Air Certificate, when asked Empire-Today said they could not provide even what it looked like. We have paid to date over $9000 and they are refusing to finish the job without this so called Clean Air certificate. We have called our local government and written to the Federal Govt EPA asking what this is and where do we get one.

If we dont hear by Friday we are seriously considering legal action. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thank you,

Scott

Do not use this company. A salesman came to our house and scammed us. Frank Colarusso came to our house and gave me a quote for flooring. No problem. I knew I didn't want to spend $22 a square foot, but felt sorry for the guy because he came all the way to me. Then he said, "let's see if you could get a credit line for a year of no interest to pay for the floors." He had me sign something assuring me it was just to see if I could get credit. I asked twice. He assured me. He then left. Next thing I know, a credit card has arrived in the mail and with $7, 647 authorized to Empire Today to finance my install. Another phone call later and we find out Mr. Colarusso assigned us an install date and picked a floor for us. Unbelievable. Stay away from this company or you will be scammed. And I thought he was just a nice old guy. Felt a bit sorry for him because I was not going to pay $22 a square foot for ugly floors when I had already done my homework and knew we could get them for $7 a square foot elsewhere.

First day of install was my bedroom. I got in bed that evening and my bed fell to the floor where the bed had been scooted and the stabilizers broke. They took chucks of wood out of my staircase, glue all over the place. Removed carpet and piled it and the padding outside my house and left it for days because they said they had no way to haul it. Two flat tires from the nails they left behind. Called to file complaint and of course they said don't worry we will take care of this. The 3/4 round is priced in areas and completely missing in others. Stated floor was scratch resistant because I have a large dog. The floor in fact isn't scratch resistant and my floors look horrible. They are raising and the cheap 3/4 round is pulling apart where it had been pieced together. Called and complained without anyone getting back to me. This is the worst company I've ever dealt with. Should have kept my old floor and saved myself the huge headache I continue to have over their lack of doing quality business.

It took them 9 months to bill us for blinds that are horrible. I tried for 2 months to get them to come out and look at the choppy cut on the blinds. I convinced myself that they didn't bill me because they knew it was horrible. So, after the two months I stopped trying. Then the bill hit in December, we had them installed in March. I tried again and went to the CEO's. I have 2 autistic sons, one of them chewed on ONE of the adjustment rods on the blinds. They are now saying my son chewed all of the blinds from floor to ceiling and will not cover anything. Because they waited so long to bill, I now have less time to pay off the balance. They want me to pay more for them to come out and replace anything. There are three blinds in the living room and all three have different length adjustment rods.

In early october 2021 - I had flooring installed in my entire condo-home - $10,800. The salesman assured me that empire uses only commercial grade flooring. The flooring installed is terrible. The floor clicks when you walk around the house. Slipping and sliding - it is not the installation-the flooring itself needs replacing-it is terrible quality. I called and had people come out, but the floor is the same. They now do not take my calls, even though I am friendly over the phone and I am willing to work with them. I am willing to pay a little extra for a different floor - but not pay again for installation. This is just not acceptable.

I was pressured by the service representative to sign a contract she told me I had till 3 days before installation to change my mind and cancel. I called 22 days before installation and they said I had to either pay $800 to cancel or have the installation! So now I am 22 days away from having floors put in that I never wanted in the first place!

On 29 November I was scheduled for both flooring and Carpet installation. The flooring was started in the morning and by early afternoon the carpet installers had not shown up. The floors were completed and the water turned back on because the water was turned off to install around the toilets. As the floor installers leave a call was made to empire by my wife about the carpet installers not showing up. Empire states we cancelled the installation and scheduled it for later in the week. That was not true as I had to fly out of state to my mothers funeral on the 30th. Meanwhile I went upstairs and find the new bathroom flooring flooded with water. I find that the water hose from the wall to the toilet was not hooked up and water running and flooding the entire bathroom. I turned the water off and told my wife who was still on the phone with empire about the carpet not being installed. I complaint about the water damage was given and empire said the would get back with us. A few days later and no return call was ever given to us. A few days later we complained again to the salesman who sold us the carpet. Still no returned calls. Mid December we got the carpet rescheduled for January. We again asked for a supervisor to come to the house to review and compensate us for the water damage and labor to clean up the water issue. To this date no action from empire to review the work, damage or labor compensation. At least 5 calls and complaints from us are filed. Each time we were told a call will be returned. That has not happened to date.

Also sent certified letter to Monroe Street. On July 9, 2020 Dan Ray, an Installer arrived at my home to install wood flooring in my living room and hallway. The flooring is beautiful, be we began to notice the floor looked as if it was coming apart, getting ready to peel or warp. We thought it might need time to settle In December 2020, my husband called Mr. Ray and told him what was happening, his reply was "there is nothing I can do, you will have to contact Empire I called the 1 800 number a number of times and could not get anyone to answer the phone. Finally I resorted to contacting them via the web site. I spoke to Katherine D. on 5/24/21 and she said in was put on ticket 1-[protected] but could not see that anything had been done. Someone over her would get in touch with me. It hasn't happened yet. On 6/8/21 I e-mailed them and was told by Katherine that she could bee all the paperwork but didn't have an answer for me. "someone trained wold make and appointment to look at the flooring. It hasn't happened. I am sending a letter to Empire, Wells Fargo and Toledo's Better Business Bureau. I feel we have been quite patient but meanwhile my floor looks worse and worse. If there is no results I will be contacting my attorney and will also inform all my friends who are looking for flooring about my experience with your company.

I purchased a carpet for my Townhouse with salesman, Joe Katcher. He asked and I showed him a copy of Home Depot estimate which indicated that the carpet will be purchased and installed on December 2021.
Joe, convinced me that Empire can do better. He said that Empire will have the carpet installed including the stairs by December 20, 2021 and I paid $4, 174.00.
On December 20, 2021, installers showed up and installed two bedrooms and left! They told me that they were not told to install the stairs. I tried calling Joe Katcher to no avail. He has stopped picking or returning my calls. I called the office and was told that the stairs carpet was not ready and would not be ready until next year! They will notify me between 7 and 10 business days when the carpet is ready and schedule installation. The lady said, she understands my problem and she has forwarded the problem to Joe's supervisor. I have not heard from anybody!
The property was to be listed for rent January 1, 2021. This is now not possible and nobody at Empire cares!

Joe wanted to take the sale from Home Depot so he lied to me! I lost $35 that I had paid to Home Depot. Joe's supervisor does not even care to call me and discuss the issue and Joe Katcher has stopped picking my calls!

I want to think that Empire's business practices are better than this.

M. Wanyama

Purchased carpet late 2013. Carpet has a 15 year warranty. I live alone, do not work from home, don't walk on the carpet in shoes, and have a well-trained cat i.e, no bathroom accidents. Sold as a high-quality carpet and assured carpet would not flatten, stain, fade etc. Went for high-quality for long lasting wear. Sales rep. did a really good con/sales job. Assured by rep. that if the carpet didn't live up to the warranty, it would be replaced by Empire. Called every year to complain the carpet was not living up to the standard sold to me, but this year when after annual carpet cleaning, the carpet still looked like it was 25 years old, decided to pursue Empire. Marks and stains won't lift. The carpet is fraying in parts. Empire alleged I was not a customer but changed their tune when I told them I have all the paperwork. Finally speak to a customer service person who can't locate the phone number she has called me on (?), knows every reason in the book NOT TO set up an inspection and who also has a comprehension problem "you want the carpet cleaned?" No, I want it inspected. She then tells me the carpet has a one year warranty. Seriously, Empire sells a $2, 000 (in 2013) carpet that will last ONE YEAR? The warranty is FIFTEEN years. I'm asked if I can prove that, and yes I can, I have the paperwork. Miraculously, Empire are not responsible and if I want an inspection, I have to pay $75. Are you serious? You sell a shoddy, at best, product which does not live up to the warranty and you have the audacity to tell me I have to pay for an inspection! I expected the carpet to last a lot longer than 8 years, 2 years when I started this journey. What a total scam! I would never recommend Empire but if they only need the carpet to last a year, what do they care.

Consultation: Flooring consultant discouraged us from purchasing what we wanted (laminate/vinyl wood) and pressured us into another product (frieze carpet). He said that the product we wanted was not installed on stairs (website offers product for stairs) At that point, we said that we would have the product we wanted in the two rooms only and he said that he wasn't sure if the flooring would lay down (i.e. not possible in these rooms.)
We then said we would go with berber carpet for two rooms, hallway and stairs - he said that berber was old fashioned and still pushed for the frieze. I asked to see a sample of berber - he said he didn't carry any samples of that, I am curious if he gets a bigger commission for the frieze type carpet and that is why he steered us away from what we wanted and into this selection.

The sample that we were shown looks nothing like what is currently installed. The installers cut the carpet outside on our driveway/sidewalk (carpet side down.) This seems like a bait and switch.

I contacted the floor consultant on the day of the install (12/17) and have not received a response. I contacted Empire on 12/[protected]@11:29 a.m., 12/[protected]@12:33 p.m., 12/[protected]@ 12:59 p.m., 12/[protected]@ 4:32 p.m. and 12/[protected]@ 11:35 a.m. I have received no calls or any communication. On 12/18 - they assigned me ticket #1-[protected]. Customer service sends me to voicemails. I have asked for Managers, Supervisors, etc. and they take my information and tell me someone will get back to me.
I want the financing ($2, 615.62) with Wells Fargo cancelled. I want the flooring as originally requested with same (or better) deals offered at the time of my original consultation - with no additional charges for removal.

I just had my laminate floor installed a month & half ago. The installation was never levelled the way it should be but they claim they use "Industrial acceptable standard." They asked me to hire a floor inspector to prove that their installation is at fault so I did. And they came back and said that my certified inspection's measurement is wrong. I sent two emails requesting more detail of this "incorrect measurement" but no response. The saleman told me that I have life time labor and material warranty twice which is a lie. When Empire doesn't install the material by the manufacture instruction, the manufacture warranty is totally out. This means I have no any warranty at this point. If you can just see how I slide from one point to another in my own house, you will know how I feel. Why should all of us take the hit like this and yet Empire continues to perform unethical acts?

I had laminated floor installed in my new home on Feb 1, 2021 by Empire Today. I paid over 20k for this. On March 19 I moved into my house (the house was empty before this) and noticed that the piece of laminate wood at the top of my stairs (I live in a raised ranch) had come loose. On March 21 I contacted Empire about this. The first date I was given no one showed up. The second date someone did come and reattached the piece. This was probably sometime in April. About 6 months later I noticed this same piece of wood was coming loose again and this time it broke in half under the constant pressure - we have to walk on this board everytime we enter or leave the house. In mid November I called Empire again to have this board fixed. They said they would send someone out on November 30 to access the situation. They refused to give me a time stating it is weeks away and they will call the day before with an estimated time. On November 30, I never received a call or message the day before so I called at 9:30 to find out an estimated time. I was told after getting a call back that it would be between 1:30-4:30. When 4:45 came and no one had showed up I called and was told that they have until 6 and I was on the books and someone would definitely be there that day. 6:30 I called again when no one had come and they now told me a ticket number and someone will call within 24 hours. On December 2 I called again because no one called me and again I received another ticket number and was told an extension to leave a voicemail on. On December 6 I called again because I still have not received a single call from Empire. The woman gave me a different extension number to use. She said it was for the installation supervisor who is a man but when you dial this extension it has a woman's name on the voicemail message. I left a couple of messages on this voicemail and never received a call back on until December 13 (right after I filed a complaint with BBB). I talked with a man named Mark at extension 4086. He said someone can come on December 21. I said how can I be sure since no one showed up on November 30, his answer was I will mark it urgent.
Well it is now December 21 and at 11 this morning I called to find when someone would come and first was told by the woman that answered that there was no installation today. After putting me on hold she someone found it but then said she called the installer who didn't have my house on his schedule so she left a voicemail with someone. So here I sit more than a month past when I first tried to call to have this board fixed. No one answers their phone. What is the point of offering a warranty if you just keep being ghosted by the company! This broken piece of wood is a tripping hazard and I want it fixed. I haven't even had my floors for a year yet and after spending over 20 grand this isn't the problem I should have to deal with!

This company lied to us and did a horrible install. They didn't show up on install day and told us they were out of the carpet we had and would need a full install. They had left about 12 seams showing when they installed. We didn't want to use this horrible company so wanted a refund and to go to a more ethical company. All they do is fight with their customers. We have spoken to several people. We were offered 50% off and then the director of customer service Tina called and reneged on the negotiation.

They also messed up our doors and paint when they were trying to fix the horrible seams.

They don't care about customers. They don't care about product and all they do is rip off people. Don't buy from Larry. He is not ethical.

My HORRIBLE experience with Empire Today:

Empire's installers arrived and took up the old carpet and old pad and then laid the new pat directly on the sub-floor over the existing old pad staples, old pad pieces stuck to the staples, existing dirt, junk, etc. Did not even attempt to clean the floor. There was no broom or vacuum in sight.

So I got my vacuum out and at least tried to clean up all the junk around the existing tack strip and under the baseboard at the the edge of the padding so that they were at least not attaching the new carpet over junk at the tack strip areas. I complained about this to my sales person and the following day they actually vacuumed and clean the one remaining room.

An 8" long sub-floor joint in one doorway was not even. I asked Empire's installers if they were going to use some floor patch to even the joint out so that I wouldn't feel it under the carpet.They said no they would not. So I went and got some of my drywall patch and troweled it on the floor. About a 5 minute process that they refused to do. No telling where else the floor needed some minor patch that may have been covered up with the new pad before I could see it.

They also ran out of the padding I had bought and on parts of my floor they used some other padding they had with them. They also did not have enough carpet and had to return the next day with the appropriate amount.

There seems to be more carpet seams than there should have been. At one spot they put in two seams only 4" apart (at the doorway). And seams down the hallway seem to be only 3' to 4' apart. Some of the seams are visible.

Within minutes of the installers leaving I noticed that they did not leave me any pieces from the carpet waste, which I wanted for future minor repairs and for warranty purposes (note that EMPIRE'S WARRANTY requires that I have some uninstalled carpet for future repairs and claims). I called the home office immediately to have them call the installers and have them come back (they were only minutes away) - no help. I then asked Empire if they could at least give the installers my phone number so the installers could call me and I would drive to them - no help. I then called my sales person - no help.

Later that same day I offered to pay the shipping cost to have Empire ship a piece of my waste carpet to me - no help. I then asked if I could just BUY a 4'x6' piece of carpet and have them ship it to me. They told me that they do not sell carpet without installation, so I told them to add installation to the cost. Empire then told me that they have a minimum $500 order. So I would have to pay them $500 to get a small piece of my waste carpet in order to meet their warranty and for minor repairs. Carpet waste that was originally here.

I then noticed that my rooms were not heating up right. Guess what - the installers installed the carpet right over the floor heating register openings. So I had to remove the register covers and cut the carpet back.

I then emailed Empire's home office about some of my concerns. They responded to my email in that they would get back to me in 1 to 3 days - It's been 4 weeks - no one has gotten back to me. I emailed them again over a week ago (with a copy of this review) - again no response. So I listed this review.

Note: From Empire One's Warranty:
Please keep a copy of this warranty along with the following important documents and resources:
- Copy of the sample label or sample information
- A 2' x 2' uninstalled sample of your carpet
- Padding information
- Installer's name and certification information
This documentation will provide critical information needed in the unlikely event of a claim. The uninstalled sample is recommended in case a repair or testing during a claim becomes necessary.
I have none of this from Empire and they refuse to work with me on getting a small piece of my carpet unless I pay them $500 (for a piece of my carpet waste).