Approved ProEmperial Hardwood Floors
About us
Emperial Hardwood Floors is a family business owned by the husband-and-wife team of Ricky and Lori Core and is a Home Reports Best Pick for the fourteenth consecutive year. Emperial specializes in refinishing hardwood floors, installing solid strip flooring, and also re-coating hardwood floors. The company began serving Atlanta-area homeowners in 1979. Emperial is a small, customer-oriented business that can give its customers personal attention. We use the Bona Kemi dustless system, which cuts down on the dust by 90%. We also feather dust cabinets, countertops, and walls after job completion. In addition, we specialize in today's high-traffic finishes. These finishes are twice as strong as conventional polyurethanes, and they cure faster as well. The company carries both workers' compensation and liability insurance. Emperial also requires a 600-square-foot minimum and guarantees its work. We care about our customers and have a great deal of pride in the work that we do. Our goal is to make every customer happy, so that they refer us to their friends. That's how we built the business.
Business highlights
Services we offer
Installation, Refinishing Hardwood Floors, Damage Floor Repair, Staircase & Step-Tread, Rod Iron & Water Base Urethane.
Amenities
Eco Friendly Accreditations
Yes
Free Estimates
Yes
Warranties
Yes
Accepted Payment Methods
- Check
- 19
Assorted photos uploaded by Emperial Hardwood Floors
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 98% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 0% | ||
| 2% |
Filter reviews by service
"Sorry but I don't know who this is?! But I know for a fact that we have not done any business with her. So therefore it's kind of hard to really respond."
Short Version: 3 attempts, each for more money, unsatisfactory work. After 1st Attempt, floors looked like 1001 Dalmations had exploded all over the wood, but Ricky said I was a "perfectionist." He said he could try putting down 2 more coats of poly, "but I don't know what will happen, I've never put down 4 coats." (Another contractor said he puts down 4 coats all the time, and even 5-6 coats.) After 2nd Attempt, floors looked great (Ricky fired this Tech, though, for telling us that the reason he was late to start the job was that Ricky wanted him to use an applicator that he had just used on an oil-based floor, for our water-based poly, which would have ruined the poly finish). But, the sanding (Ricky advertises that he uses the Bona dust containment system, but he didn't at our house, he didn't even use the sander with the bag on the back) from 2 attempts was throughout the house, via the HVAC ducts and doors opened to all rooms and ceiling fans turned on which drew all the dust into everything we had stored (took 2 months of nights to clean everything); then floors scratched easily, floor started bubbling, and even room temperature water permanently spotted the floor. Ricky made 3rd Attempt, took sanding down to the wood, he said 2 failed attempts must have been due to a cleaning product used by previous homeowner that made poly adhesion difficult (Wouldn't this be true for any hardwood floor in a home in which homeowner is not original homeowner, but there was no warning about this when Ricky sold the job to us). After 3rd Attempt, we have: Shoe trash under poly, grit of some sort under poly; poly bubbling; poly streaks; some pooling of stain; some puddles of poly... They didn't set the temperature after the first 2 coats of poly on this 3rd attempt, temp dipped to 61 and 59 degrees overnight, up to 19 hours; temp should have been 70. There's more, such as that Ricky threw no less than 5 utter "fits" during this process-- 2 of 6 his workers during this 3-Attempt process said "Yeah, that's just Ricky." There's more, but it's all just too upsetting. When we got an estimate, all we wanted was more poly in the kitchen; or, we were going to replace hardwood in kitchen with tile. Told this to Ricky, he sold us a job and job was done very poorly. And, we still don't know what the heck chemicals are in the product he used in Attempt #3. We wrote the poly product company 7 emails, still no response. Beware (we have just found out) that there is no legal requirement for the word "non-toxic" which Ricky claims of his products. And, what I do know of the product is that workers are to use respirators, but workers were not given respirators. This last product has made us sick (headaches, nausea etc), and we have a chemical air-cleaning whole house system. My fault: Why in the world did I give him the 3 Attempts, twice for more money, after his first "fit" that I was a perfectionist over the 1001 dalmatian spots... As far as my being a perfectionist, I take pride in my home. All other contractors helping us to get this house ready to move into (except 1 other) completed their jobs on Excellent terms with us. Ricky was a nightmare. And guess what, Ricky, if you write some story that my account of what happened is not true, I still have your voicemail from your last contact before you cashed the check, you said "You've been so disappointed, why should I come rescue you!"
"This is a customer that I tried to help over and over again. In fact we did do the job over for free. I just couldn't make her happy, no matter what I tried. There is so much dishonesty and false information in her review that it is truly exhausting."
They bring a team of 4 (ask for Team Leader George) who are all experienced and work together very efficiently
Removed Kitchen Tiles and compound. Hauled away debris. Installed hardwood floors and stained all on first day. Worked from 8:30 until 2:00. No lunch break.
Very friendly and express appreciation for getting the job.
floors installed in three rooms last year. They matched the existing
wood that was present stained to perfection. Ricky showed up to give
the estimate early, he was extremely nice and professional. He wasn't
the cheapest around nor the most expensive but I liked his personality
the best. They scheduled fairly quickly and the job was completed
quickly. He has a crew of three guys that has worked for him for years
and they are fabulous! very professional and courteous. They did an
amazing job.
I was so happy with the work, when I wanted my upstairs floors done I
didn't hesitate to call Ricky. He came out the next day to do an
estimate and we scheduled the work for the next week. I cannot say
enough good things about these guys they are absolutely fabulous. I
will have them back out here when I need my floors refinished. I would
highly recommend them!
"Sorry but I was told to provide a quote to install 3 rooms and refinish all existing floors. There was never any mention that only one small room would be done. The customer here is the one who did not honor her contract when she decided that she could just pick out a small portion of it and ignore the rest. I was willing to do the small room for only $250 extra, but she would not here of it and hung up on me. Very disappointing."
We have used several other subcontractors on this project (including another floor provider) and none of them has had a problem with our contractor who we believe has done an exemplary job in managing our renovation project.
We feel the provider was completely unprofessional and we would never use his services again. Â His lack of responsiveness and communication, and eventual cancellation of his agreement to perform work, has delayed our renovation project by 1-2 months while we found another provider to install new and repair existing hardwood floors. Â Because the floor work was quite extensive, other work had to be delayed until the floors could be completed.
"From the beginning all parties knew Emperial was fitting the work into the schedule and that the homeowner had to work around Emperial's schedule and not the General Contractor's schedule.There were no set time periods. Emperial was doing a big favor for the homeowner and GC by only installing the small kitchen area so the GC could get an early start installing the cabinets. I agreed even though I was squeezing the work into the schedule and that I would be losing money only installing the kitchen and not all the floors at one time. The first attempt to deliver the wood the GC was not ready. The 2nd attempt I left a message with the GC that Saturday would be a better time. The GC never called nor left a message that there was a problem for a Saturday wood delivery. If time was of the essences then the GC would have contacted me or left a message.He did not. I was never told that the GC did not want the wood delivered on Saturday. Since there were no messages, I proceeded to purchase 770 sq.ft. of wood, loaded the wood onto the van, and called the GC to say I was on the way. To my amazement the GC was fuming mad and would not allow me to speak. I have been in business a very long time and feel I try my very best to make customers happy, but the homeowners' GC was way out of control. I would have been fine delivering the wood if a key was hidden and let myself in. I realize that If the GC was this out of control before the job started then there would be problems with the GC later into the job. My wife and I tried numerous times to call and email the homeowners. Finally, the homeowner's wife emailed and said she was certainly sorry for the way things turned out. She never asked what happened. My wife and I were totally dumbfounded. The homeowner states in the complaint that the job was delayed by 1-2 months. I do not believe this is true. I know the turn around time for wood floor companies in a slow economy is quick. 1-2 months is a huge exaggeration. If there was a delay then it is because the GC did not have the initiative to get the job done in a timely manner. The homeowner claims I was abusive. That is quite the opposite and the GC was the one who was abusive. Why would I be abusive trying to make arrangements to deliver wood. I feel the $150.00 for the time I spent was very reasonable. There is a $100.00 restocking fee for the wood, I spent time and gas estimating the work and also showed stain colors for 2 hours. I feel I have been more than fair to this homeowner."
Licensing
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