Empire Today - Laminate Flooring Installation

Business Reply

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. Total customer satisfaction is important to us here at Empire Today. We take customer feedback very seriously and we are always striving to improve the customerâ??s experience. We have reviewed your posting and were unable to retrieve your information through our system. We would like to be able to work with you towards a resolution for your concerns but unfortunately without being able to access your account we do not know who you are. If you would like to contact us you may do so at 888-588-2315 and push for ext. 7782 to speak to our Consumer Affair Agent Helen Brown. Our office is open from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm CST. If you would like to resolve your issues via email we can do that as well. Please respond with your information and we look forward to hearing from you. Have a great day!

Empire Today, Atlanta, GA.

In Nov. 2005 I contracted with Empire to remove old carpeting and install hardwood looking laminate flooring. While the price was a little high, they scheduled and performed the job right away and were very conscientious in getting all things right. I was very happy with them. I availed myself of the credit program whereby I didn’t have to pay until 1/2006. In fact, I paid the job on 12/12/06, well in advance of the deadline and thus did not incur any finance charges.

On Dec. 12/13, I contracted with Empire, again, to complete two other rooms and bathroom in the den area of my home with laminate flooring that looked like stone. The salesman (same as prior – I had asked for him) showed me samples and I picked one, not knowing that it didn’t have similar characteristics to the one he showed me. The crew came that Sat. morning (different than the first one) and immediately had a problem with the fact that they had to level an area before they laid the laminate flooring. After a call to the salesperson and much ado by a crew that spoke minimal English (except for one fellow – the crew boss -- who interpreted), they finally got started and did a minimal job of leveling the floor. By late that evening they still had to complete trim work and reinstall the toilet in the bathroom. Additionally I was surprised at the look of the floor which was significantly different than I’d anticipated.

They had promised to return on Monday. No one ever called on Monday after I took another day off from work for them to come. I called the salesman all morning to get some help but he never responded until 3pm. Finally the crew chief called and said he’d be there that evening. Again I had to cancel plans so that they could complete something that should have been completed that day – not evening.

After they were gone I found soft spots through large areas of the floor where the crew had not leveled properly. The salesman told me to call customer service. I had an Empire inspector visit and he determined that they had to tear out half of the floor in one of the rooms to properly level. This would happen on a Sat. but I couldn’t have it done for two weeks. Now I have to spend another day of inconvenience. I plan to ask for compensation on this job.

Finally, when I asked initially whether I would be able to finance the flooring as I did the previous time, I was credit approved for the additional flooring despite the fact that they hadn’t yet posted the 12/12/06 payment made (I had a cancelled check from the bank). That was part of my willingness to do the deal.

After I complained, I received a letter from GE Money Bank saying that they now have declined my credit for this transaction. Since I had concerns about credit/identity fraud, I ordered my credit report from two of the three credit agencies and had a sterling record and the highest credit score available. The third agency, Equifax, would not provide me a credit report and that is the company that GE Money Bank used. I requested the reason for the decline and also am in process of sending Equifax certain required information to determine what their problem is with my credit.

At this point, without an acceptable job and the credit I was promised, they can pull the entire floor out. I have sufficient funds to pay for the floor in cash today but was promised the credit and it was part of my decision to do the deal.

After my first experience, I recommended Empire. Now that this has occurred I would never recommend them. I think their sales tactics are poor and not honest in disclosure. I feel that they would sell anything to get the job done without caring about the quality of the job.

I also wish that I had known about this web site before I agreed to do business with Empire Today again.