- Report: #127264
Complaint Review: Empire Today - Nationwide
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Author Not Confirmed
Why?
Empire Today
2744 Regency Dr., Grand Prairie, TX 75050 Nationwide, U.S.A.
Phone:
972-522-1844
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Empire Today LLC, contract signed, not honored McHenry Illinois
My husband and I are again looking to replace our windows in our home. We called Empire Today, LLC. back in 2001, 800-588-2300, and a salesman came to our home. I am a hard sell, and this guy was very good at his job. The total for our windows, seven small windows (30" length, 43" width), one bathroom window, and two large windows (70" length and 60" width), were quoted at approximately $4,800. This was phenomenal; when something sounds too good too be true, it usually is. A construction foreman/manager came to our home shortly thereafter. He was uncommunicative and left scratches where he'd used a box knife to scrape away the paint to reveal the material underneath the paint. I figured this out on my own, as he was not forthcoming with this information.
![Ripoffreport Report Image]()
He then left our home, sat in his tiny 4x4 truck on his cellular phone (unlike the other entry, he did not use my telephone). Some 45 minutes later he came back inside my home to say that the job would cost more than the initial contract signed. OK, no problem, I thought the price was too low. However, it was a binding contract... I asked how much more, at which time he left my home again to sit in his truck. Now, our son was 10 months old at this time, he is now 4 , it is difficult, at best, to keep your 10 month old occupied, add in fun times like trying to discuss remodeling your home, you might as well grab a couple of valium to get through the red tape.
He came back into my home and said it would be, at the very least, $500.00 per the two large windows, possibly $200 for each small window. That's a difference of $2,400. No small change. I told him that we were canceling our contract and he said fine, leaving all of the scratches on our walls near the windows, and muddy shoe prints throughout my home. Not believing him, and worrying that this would truly come back to haunt us, I called Empire Today, LLC. directly, cancelled the contract and wrote them a letter which I sent certified the next day. As to the deposit we put down, we had to hound Empire Today, LLC. for six months. One year later we received our $250 back from the company.
I thank my lucky stars that I followed my gut in this instance. My parents used Empire Today, LLC. fifteen years ago. My mother has now passed, so I can only attest to what she'd told me then. They, after having lived in their home for twenty years began remodeling everything, all of this was done in cash as they'd saved for years to remodel their home. Mom purchased four rooms of carpeting and one hallway, all paid in full when she placed the order. In the middle of their remodeling project Empire Today, LLC. insisted that she have them come to the home and install it, and if they did not by the end of that month, which was ten days out, she would lose all of her money. It was installed, then the windows, linoleum, and paneling throughout the home. The carpeting was ruined from all of the workers trailing dirt and debris into my parent's home. The Empire installers did not speak English, which is a shame when you consider everyone in this country is an immigrant, one generation removed, or fifteen.
As to the salesman that came onto this board to speak of how great Empire is, how they are growing, that only attests to the state our economy is in. Cheap is cheap, you cannot make a silk purse out of a sows ear. 99.9% of the United States of America is on a budget, and that is all Empire Today, LLC. is known for, cheap products for the family on a budget. Your entry, sir, really meant nothing. Withdrawal your nose from your employer's dairyaire. Most people when humiliated and deflated by being taken advantage of learn from their mistake and tell their friends and family. They will not write a long explanation as to how bad the company truly is, because most people do not have the time it takes to do such a thing, and that is what companies such as yours count on, people not having time to bad mouth you to a global community. I am a stay at home mother - I can write this at two o'clock in the morning if I wish. And I am just ornery enough to do just that.
Mrs. Lee
Angeline
Carpentersville, Illinois
U.S.A.
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Empire Advantage
He then left our home, sat in his tiny 4x4 truck on his cellular phone (unlike the other entry, he did not use my telephone). Some 45 minutes later he came back inside my home to say that the job would cost more than the initial contract signed. OK, no problem, I thought the price was too low. However, it was a binding contract... I asked how much more, at which time he left my home again to sit in his truck. Now, our son was 10 months old at this time, he is now 4 , it is difficult, at best, to keep your 10 month old occupied, add in fun times like trying to discuss remodeling your home, you might as well grab a couple of valium to get through the red tape.
He came back into my home and said it would be, at the very least, $500.00 per the two large windows, possibly $200 for each small window. That's a difference of $2,400. No small change. I told him that we were canceling our contract and he said fine, leaving all of the scratches on our walls near the windows, and muddy shoe prints throughout my home. Not believing him, and worrying that this would truly come back to haunt us, I called Empire Today, LLC. directly, cancelled the contract and wrote them a letter which I sent certified the next day. As to the deposit we put down, we had to hound Empire Today, LLC. for six months. One year later we received our $250 back from the company.
I thank my lucky stars that I followed my gut in this instance. My parents used Empire Today, LLC. fifteen years ago. My mother has now passed, so I can only attest to what she'd told me then. They, after having lived in their home for twenty years began remodeling everything, all of this was done in cash as they'd saved for years to remodel their home. Mom purchased four rooms of carpeting and one hallway, all paid in full when she placed the order. In the middle of their remodeling project Empire Today, LLC. insisted that she have them come to the home and install it, and if they did not by the end of that month, which was ten days out, she would lose all of her money. It was installed, then the windows, linoleum, and paneling throughout the home. The carpeting was ruined from all of the workers trailing dirt and debris into my parent's home. The Empire installers did not speak English, which is a shame when you consider everyone in this country is an immigrant, one generation removed, or fifteen.
As to the salesman that came onto this board to speak of how great Empire is, how they are growing, that only attests to the state our economy is in. Cheap is cheap, you cannot make a silk purse out of a sows ear. 99.9% of the United States of America is on a budget, and that is all Empire Today, LLC. is known for, cheap products for the family on a budget. Your entry, sir, really meant nothing. Withdrawal your nose from your employer's dairyaire. Most people when humiliated and deflated by being taken advantage of learn from their mistake and tell their friends and family. They will not write a long explanation as to how bad the company truly is, because most people do not have the time it takes to do such a thing, and that is what companies such as yours count on, people not having time to bad mouth you to a global community. I am a stay at home mother - I can write this at two o'clock in the morning if I wish. And I am just ornery enough to do just that.
Mrs. Lee
Angeline
Carpentersville, Illinois
U.S.A.
Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Empire Advantage
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Angeline
Carpentersville,Illinois,
U.S.A.
we did speak with you in 2001.
#2Author of original report
Sat, January 22, 2005
Thanks for posting [email protected]. My husband dealt with you personally, as I recognized your e-mail address, and spoke with the manager in our district. Please keep in mind this was in 2001, nearly four years ago. The contract, as specified in my first description of your services, was not honored. The manager then began to haggle with my husband on the telephone. This is our home we are speaking of - we, as most Americans, do not have money hidden under our mattress to fix any difficulties that could possibly go into the thousands of dollars. We are on a tight budget that we cannot, nor could we, deviate from. To haggle the price turned me off even more, and made me uncomfortable. Who would be installing our windows? Would they speak English, as that and bad English are our two main languages spoken in our home, or would they speak to themselves and ignore us, the homeowners? There are very reputable, hardworking people out there that are gaining a slanderous reputation due to difficulties that arise when, say, a contract is not honored, then haggled upon. To take a year to receive our refund back was just plain silly. We called every week, then twice a month, then once a month. After seven months we were told we had to fill out some paperwork to release our money, which we had already done. My personal belief is that Empire had hoped we would give up and forget the matter. This, for an ornery gal like me, is NOT going to happen. One issue I did forget to mention in my initial posting was that I had spoken with the sales rep that came to our home, asking him for references on Empires work. He stalled several times in one day, saying he would fax me the references I had asked for. This was a Saturday; the foreman/manager of the job was coming to our home first thing Monday morning. After waiting a good portion of Saturday, I called Empire and was transferred until I was able to speak with the sales rep's boss. He faxed me the references for window replacements. My husband and I drove to the homes he had listed. Three of the customers spoke with us that day, not a one of them had windows replaced. One was a carpet installation; the other two homeowners had their siding replaced. The bottom line is listening. Just listen Thank you again for posting. Perhaps someone else will find your e-mail address and contact information helpful.
Chris
33702,Florida,
U.S.A.
I'm glad that I check this report
#3Consumer Comment
Fri, January 21, 2005
My partner and I are looking to have our carpet replaced, so I was going to contact Empire Today to get an estimate. Boy, am I glad that I did a little research before I contacted them. I think it would be worth spending a little more money to have the work done in a timely manner. One of these customers even had and Empire Today installed show up drunk! I would be so angry. Thanks Ripoffreport.com. Keep up the good work
W
Chicago,Illinois,
U.S.A.
Response to complaint
#4UPDATE Employee
Tue, January 18, 2005
Thank you for your posting on Complaint Station. I am the manager of Empire's Customer Issue Resolution Center. It is my job to make sure that we achieve complete customer satisfaction. I was disappointed to see that you have been dissatisfied with your recent dealings with our company. I am sure that we can resolve your concerns, as we are committed to providing quality customer service. We maintain a special customer service telephone number specifically to work with our customers to address their concerns in a prompt and professional manner. Please call us at 847-583-3344 or e-mail me at [email protected].
