Any experience with Empire Today carpet?

[RichNKatHolly]

So I just scheduled an appt with Empire to give an estimate on carpet in a home we are closing on this week. Then I saw quite a few complaint websites, etc. Just wanted to know if anyone here had any complaints with or about them (good news more than welcome too!). I've heard the prices are good and I need it done quick - but if they are that bad, I'll go with Home Depot or Lowes.

Thanks so much guys!!!

 

[ceecee]

From the prices around here, they are much higher than the carpet outlets.

 

[mla1977]

We met with them for each of our houses and got drastically different rates. The lower rates were actually on the house that had two floors and included stairs.

When we had them in to see our current house, he had to borrow DBF's cell to call the "warehouse" since Verizon doesn't work at our house. After he left I called the number and got his girlfriend's voicemail.

We went with someone else.

 

[kjgy]

We had them at our house for an estimate about a year ago. It was very high. After having someone else come in for estimate I realized Empire
was trying to sell me something that wasn't appropriate for our house.
I told him I wanted references for houses they had done
in the area which he claimed they had. I never heard back from him.

Kim

 

[Boston Tea Party]

Never used 'em but I can sing the jingle for ya!

800 5-8-8 23-00 Empiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiire!

 

[JoiseyMom]

Kat,

Don't!! I have only heard bad things about them! Check out if there are any loal carpeting stores where you are moving, and check out their rates vs Lowes and Home Depot. Play them against each other. This is an area where you can bargain. They WANT/NEED the business, so play them against each other. Just make sure you get the final offer in writing!! This includes carpeting, padding (type, thickness) and installation!!

 

[Tinkerbelle99]

my sis recently used them here in michigan and she was pleased with their service. they didnt opt for the next day install as sis had things on their schedule to work around.

i would assume its a franchise type of deal and every owner/operator is different. definitely consider what you hear about your local operator.

 

[mudman]

A friend of mine had them come out for convienence. She said their prices were outrageous for a nothing fancy carpet.

She went elsewhere.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

Empire came out to our house, & gave us an inflated price for hardwood floors. When I showed them a written quote from a competitor, he called someone on his cell phone and the price magically dropped by $6000 to meet the competition. Surf the web......you will find the same exact thing has happened to many others. Its a scam. Also, nobody speaks English that comes out to install. If there is a problem, get ready to speak Russian or Spanish...or forget about it.
Please get written quotes from other places before you decide. Also, we didn't care for the quality of their products. It seemed really cheap to us.
Good luck!

 

[mommytoe]

We had them install carpeting in the downstairs and the stairs here last March. Now we have carpet tacks hurting our feet between the living room and kitchen.

They also managed to knock all the pics off my walls while here. Not sure about that, but didn't like needing to put my pics back up. Oh, they also knocked over hanging plants spilling dirt all over the new rug before leaving.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

Google "Empire Today Reviews". You will find this helpful in your search for answers.

 

[Lovin' Lorne]

They put in our carpet a few years ago. Home Depot was a little cheaper, but they were being a pain in the butt, so we went with Empire. They were in and out in less than four hours and our carpet still looks great.

 

[RichNKatHolly]

WOW! I know where to get some opinions and answers when I need them ASAP!

Thanks everyone. I think there is just too much bad press about them to go through with it. I'm off to shop carpet elsewhere.

The responses are truly appreciated!! Have a great day!

 

[HayGan]

Not just for Empire but any service/installation place, never ever take their first offer. They all have price scales and will start at much higher level than is their bottom price. Carpet is definitely on thing where you should always bargain. Let them know as well that you are comparing prices with otheer companies.

 

[czycropper]

A friend of mine is still dealing with them on issues with her carpet that was installed in the fall......she had the whole upstairs done and some of it started bubbling within a week. They were the fastest that would install so that's why she went with them and now is wishing that she had gone with a local person. So I would really consider other companies.

 

[RichNKatHolly]

Thanks! We've actually just decided to go with area rugs instead. So that solves my headache entirely! LOL

 

[dvcnewgirl]

A friend of mine had them come out for convienence. She said their prices were outrageous for a nothing fancy carpet.

She went elsewhere.

ditto

 

[Chicago526]

My brother was friends with a carpet installer, who I used to replace the carpet in my condo just before I put it up for sale. I had to go with him (the installer) to the carpet warehouse (he got me a deal wholesale! ) to pick out my carpet. While waiting for the warehouse guys to load the carpet, I asked him what he thought of Empire since I'd seen them on tv my whole life (I'm in Chicago, where Empire got it's start. Kids in this town know the Empire phone number before they know their own!).

What he said about them can't be posted but needless to say he did not recomend them. He said the only way he'd ever use them is if you were totally desperate and needed carpet the next day and had no other way to get it, like a landlord with new tennants moving in or something. Even then you're getting ripped off, he said, but sometimes there just isn't a way around it.

I love knowing this guy. I re-carpeted my whole condo for $500 installed! He even gave me a super premium pad, he had remnants from a job at a McMansion earlier in the week and he threw it in for free! So my advice is, try to become friends with a carpet installer!

 

[eliza61]

Never used 'em but I can sing the jingle for ya!

800 5-8-8 23-00 Empiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiire!

Aaagh, it's stuck in my head now.

 

[RichNKatHolly]

So my advice is, try to become friends with a carpet installer!

LOL - I'll see what I can do about that!

And yes, that jingle is probably what keeps them in business!