Complaint Review: EMPIRE FLOORING

WATCHOUT: The company requires 100% payment before the job is done and that is not negotiable. This is not industry standard and they will fight you tooth and nail trying to convinece you it is. This is extremely worrisome because they use only independent contractors to do the installations, which means Empire has not control over whether the work even gets done. DON'T USE THIS COMPANY FOR THAT REASON ALONE.

WATCHOUT: Empire's estimate was more than $17,000 higher than the next closes estimate. One dead give away about the fact the estimate far exceeded the true cost to complete the job is that the employee asked me what I would be comfortable paying. The employee immediately lowered the price by $7000 simply upon my say so!

WATCHOUT: They will not leave your house without trying to get you to provide a $100 deposit, no matter how many times you tell them you will not sign a contract that requries you to pay for a job before it is done.

NOTE: Empire asks for 50% once the contract is signed, which is typical. Then you are required to pay the balance one they "drop the tile off at your house." When I asked the employee how I could force them to install the tile once I paid for it he had no answer.

STAY AWAY FROM THEM SOLELY BASED ON THEIR DEMAND FOR PAYMENT UP FRONT. THIS IS NOT NORMAL, INDUSTRY STANDARD OR EVEN LOGICAL.

I have no idea whether they would do a good job, but then I would have to pay them for the product and hope that their installers, WHICH ARE ALL INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS, will show up.