I recently concluded a challenging, and mostly negative experience with Tompkins Flooring. At the onset, I was looking forward to a professional flooring installation, and then writing a great review about this company. Then came integrity issues, numerous mistakes, work promised but not performed, reluctant workers cutting corners - you name it. They told me that after my job, they fired my carpet installer. I'm not sure they fired the right person(s), because what others did regarding the tile job was far more egregious. For example, I had several small rooms converted from carpet to tile. I specifically requested and added to the contract that baseboards be removed and replaced; baseboards were to sit on top of the tiles, not next to them. The evidence proves they failed to do so. As soon as I discovered their error, I brought the contract to their attention. A truly professional company with a passion for integrity, excellence, and customer satisfaction would have acknowledged their mistake and fixed it. Tompkins Flooring chose not to. They chose to defy the contract, as though contract language was irrelevant. They told me their tile people don't do baseboards - only their carpet people do them (actually, one of their tile workers did remove one baseboard - he promptly broke it in half). In their eyes, adding plenty of grout where the tile doesn't horizontally reach the baseboard looks fine. They're wrong. Their results look like the mediocre homeowner DIY (Do-It-Yourself) job I was paying to avoid. Then came the breakfast nook tile flooring that extended 2" into my den. Why? Was it laziness (fewer cuts) or mis-measurement? They argued with me, and said don't worry, once I put the furniture back, no one will notice it. Really? I had no idea Tompkins Flooring does such shoddy and unprofessional work. They offered to hand cut 2" off the 8 feet of tile that borders the carpet, but that would have left me with 16x18 tiles in an area that should be 18x18. And most likely would have created an uneven border. The correct way to fix their mistake would have involved pulling up all tiles in the kitchen and breakfast nook, and starting from the beginning by cutting 2" off the first row of tiles along an opposite wall. Almost every day, I was confronted with problems or issues that would likely have never occurred with seasoned professionals. For example, on Day One, I requested that the tile veins be laid parallel to one another. The very next day, I audited their work and discovered two tiles that were not. Polished tiles were to be installed in the entryway; non-polished everywhere else. Upon arrival on Day One, the crew didn't think to put tile types into separate stacks. Apparently the Day Two installer didn't know the difference in tiles (the same worker who broke the baseboard as noted above). He erroneously and randomly installed 7 polished tiles in my breakfast nook. So, due to a lack of training and simple procedures, the crew incurred significant rework on Day Three. And then there were the behavioral issues. For example, on the tile crew's final day, I was kind enough to let the crew borrow my shop vacuum (why did they come to my house so unprepared?). I even let the crew leader's wife use my restroom. Yet when it came time to seal the tiles, the crew leader vehemently complained that he did not want to move my desk, refrigerator, and washer/dryer to seal those tiles - he just wanted to seal the visible tiles. I spoke with my sales person, who then phoned the crew leader. By the time the crew leader was done yelling at my sales person over the phone, he could have been done. My philosophy is this: if you've decided you can't behave professionally, and can't do the job correctly without being constantly forced by adult supervision, then get out of my house. I have no use for you and your short-cuts, or your company. Let me call in a real professional to do the job. The carpeting job had its own issues. For example, the sales person promised that the carpet installer would fix squeaky floors upstairs. I was elated. But less than an hour into the job, the carpet installer defiantly said no, he does not do that. I called the sale rep, who then called the installer, and now the installer agreed to fix squeaks. However, he now said he didn't have any screws. OK, I called his bluff. I went out to my garage, and got him a box of drywall screws. I later discovered he had his own screws all along. And yes, there were more surprises and issues from him. How can a homeowner possibly trust and respect a company like this? When you visit Tompkins Flooring, look at the layer of shielding on the pink, upgraded padding sample (if it's still there), and listen to them convince you that you are getting that same, exact padding to put under your carpet. Then compare it with the actual padding they install in your home. The shield layer is completely different (almost non-existent). The store sample is a complete misrepresentation. I had a similar issue with the color of floor tiles. Yes, we all know tile colors vary from lot to lot, but my photographs confirm that their store sample wasn't even close to what they actually installed. If they had been attentive, they would have caught this and brought it to my attention prior to installation. It's clear to me that they really didn't care. One of their competitors informed me that they pull samples from the lot to be installed, and have the customer confirm the tile choice prior to sending it out with a crew to install it. This mitigates surprises, and is a great way to build customer satisfaction. The pattern that emerged portrays a culture of mediocrity and lack of professionalism. As I brought issues to their attention, the sales group made excuses and claimed that this is not who they really are. They're wrong. Their behaviors and work output reveal exactly who they are. Fortunately it's not all negative. The carpet job looks very good. I would categorize a number of their employees as solid professionals who excel at what they're doing, and care about customer satisfaction. And near the end of the process, they did make a few token gestures to try and appease me. But they fell way short. My baseboard areas are still all wrong (except for one), and every day that's all I see. Along with an extra 2" of tile extending into my den. And the left edge tile step rise that now doesn't match the right edge ... Dealing with mistakes and immature behaviors was one thing. But I cannot accept their deliberate defiance of our contract - specifically, the failure to R&R baseboards as specified in the contract. I trusted Tompkins Flooring. When a company fails to honor its contract - especially after being advised of its error - it exposes flaws in its core value system. Customers suffer, employees suffer. It's a lose/lose situation. Why choose to create such a disgraceful environment? I was told that the group handling my project is relatively new to the company. They are in need of training and development to become true professionals. If words like integrity, excellence, and customer satisfaction mean anything to you, I encourage you to shop elsewhere for your flooring needs. Don't let them fool you (like they did me) into thinking they will honor your contract. This review is a consequence of their decisions. The professional outcome I was promised failed to materialize, and has left me extremely angry and disappointed. Visitors to my home are now receiving a lesson in tile floors and baseboards, and how to distinguish mediocre from professional results. The lesson also includes tips on strategically placing furniture, to hide those flooring short-cuts Tompkins Flooring hopes you don't catch. So, can anyone recommend an honest, responsible, and professional flooring company who will install flooring as the customer and contract specify? A company that successfully drives customer satisfaction by achieving the professional results the customer requested and paid for?