If I could do it again, I would have only shopped locally.
Price:
All of the pricing is done magically behind the scenes--customers dont get to see the breakdowns. Our project was originally about $38.5k but after *huge deductions* was brought down to about $28.5k. Local retailers quoted us about $26k. We loved our sales rep Rose & we couldn't find anything that matched the flooring we picked out from Empire so we went with them. We also grew up seeing Empire ads in CA so there was a bit of a nostalgic pull.
Installers:
Installers are independent contractors, they are not in-house employees.
Project overview:
We chose LVP, our order noted leveling compound for every room (floors needed leveled), & we made it clear we did not want transitions.
Install Pt 1 (1/3):
The installers put transitions in every room. They also did not attempt to level the floors, so the floors were obviously wonky AF when they were done. They also left permanent scratches in 2/4 rooms' floors, one was a giant circle. Most corner cuts extended into the LVP. (Job was sloppy & incomplete.)
Installation Coordinator (IC) Pt 1:
The IC said transitions were based on industry standards. I asked him what that meant, he didn't offer an explanation. So many other professional sites state LVP doesn't need transitions unless the area is HUGE, like over 4k sqft. But sure, *industry standards*. He also said our order didn't include leveling compound so I got our sales rep involved & she reminded him it did.
Install Pt 1 (2/3):
The same team came out to remove transitions & level the floors... but they didn't. First they tried to convince the IC that the waviness in the floors was OK because it was within the level bounds but they were putting the tool diagonal over the humps instead of straight... I had to move the level myself & it wasn't until it was teetering over the highest part that they agreed the issue was real, but then they claimed it was too dramatic to be leveled. It's like magic, *no problem* to *yikes* in the span of an inch! I wish I was making this up. They also told the IC the leveling compound was useless because it would *go through*... we have no idea *through what?* because it would have gone on the underlayment that was on the subfloor lol. After about 50-75% of the LVP had been taken up the team leader refused to complete the job, said we had to fix the floors lol.
Install Pt 1 (3/3):
This team was amazing. They are from Constru Group & the main guy is LeMuel. The floors were professionally leveled & beautifully installed.
Install Pt 2 & IC Pt 2:
Man, this install was expected to go smooth... LeMuel was back! Within a couple hours of the job being worked on the IC dropped a bomb on us--our job would cost $1000 more because it didn't include leveling compound. (Reminder he said this in Pt 1, too.) He came to the $1000 number by using the one price they charge per sqft and multiplied it by the sqft needed for the job, he did not calculate labor and materials separately. He said he didn't want to stop the job so he would work with us, he dropped the price to $500 & said we would be paying for labor only, materials were free. He said if we helped him out here, he could really help us with a deal on a repair we needed upstairs. During an anxiety induced bout of insomnia that night, I looked at our original & latest order confirmation emails & sure enough, leveling compound was listed/accounted for. I called the IC the next day & he changed his story... our contract now covered materials, not labor. Empire combines labor & materials in one price, they don't separate them (Empire customer service rep + sales rep confirmed afterward but the IC also confirmed this in the way he calculated what was *owed*) so this didn't make sense. In the end he dropped the additional charge & acted like we got it for free.
Conclusion:
I wonder how many other Empire customers have been told a service/product on their order form/contract wasn't paid for. I spoke with a rep who reiterated what the IC said--the leveling compound wasn't paid for. When I asked for proof, she said it was in the contract that only they can see (our contract doesn't show what she saw). She promised the contract didn't pay for leveling compound but she couldn't/wouldn't show me a screenshot to prove it. She also tried to say another item was free but I very distinctly remember a high price for that item being cut down to about $4000. She said someone else would have to do all the cost breakdowns to prove it but I didn't ask for that, I wanted to see the thing she saw that indicated the service listed on our contract wasn't covered/paid for. To me it sounds like a scam. It's like *trust us, you owe this... ignore what your contract says... oh and we don't want to show you proof, just pay up*. Scam, scam, scam.
I haven't been contacted about repairs but I am so skeptical of Empire that I don't want to deal with them again. read more