Empire Today made its name on the same-day-quote, next-day-install model that turns a flooring purchase into a single phone call. Convenience has a price, and most homeowners are caught off guard when the in-home quote arrives. Empire flooring cost per square foot typically runs 30 to 60 percent higher than buying the same product at a big-box store and hiring a local installer, but the all-inclusive package eliminates the project management headaches that derail many remodels. After watching dozens of clients weigh Empire bids against alternatives, I have a clear picture of when the premium is worth it and when it is not. Here is the breakdown.
How Empire Prices Its Jobs
Empire Today sells installed flooring as a turnkey package. The quote bundles materials, labor, basic furniture moving, old-floor removal, and a workmanship warranty into a single per-square-foot or per-job price. There is no menu where you can shop the carpet line separately from installation.
The pricing model rewards larger jobs. A whole-house installation of 1,400 square feet typically lands 15 to 20 percent cheaper per square foot than a single 200 square foot room, because the crew can amortize travel, setup, and disposal across more area.
Average Price Ranges by Product
- Basic carpet (FHA-grade nylon or polyester): $4.50 to $7 per square foot installed
- Mid-tier carpet (Stainmaster or branded BCF nylon): $6 to $9 per square foot installed
- Premium carpet (wool blend, frieze, or pattern): $8 to $12 per square foot installed
- Laminate flooring (8mm to 12mm): $5 to $9 per square foot installed
- Luxury vinyl plank (glue-down or click): $7 to $12 per square foot installed
- Hardwood (engineered, no solid options): $9 to $15 per square foot installed
- Sheet vinyl: $4.50 to $7 per square foot installed
Tile is not offered by most Empire markets. For tile work you will need a separate tile contractor.
What the All-Inclusive Quote Covers
Empire’s headline package includes the floor product, installation labor, basic furniture moving (rooms with up to 200 square feet of furniture, typically one bedroom set or a living room), removal and disposal of the existing floor, and underlayment or padding sized to the product. A one-year workmanship warranty backs the install; the product warranty comes from the manufacturer.
Common upcharges include moving heavy appliances (refrigerator, washer-dryer), stair installation, transition strips above a base count, custom thresholds, and floor leveling on a substrate that is more than 3/16 inch out over 10 feet.
Where Empire Costs More Than Alternatives
Walk a Home Depot or Lowe’s aisle and compare a similar LVP at $2.50 to $4 per square foot for materials. Add $2 to $3.50 for a hired local installer and you land at $5 to $7 per square foot installed; Empire’s equivalent install runs $8 to $12 per square foot. The gap funds Empire’s overhead, scheduling infrastructure, and same-week installation.
For carpet, the gap narrows. Empire’s mid-tier carpet at $7 per square foot installed lines up closely with the same-grade carpet from a local independent retailer at $6 to $7 installed. Carpet installation is where the all-inclusive model competes hardest.
Negotiation Tactics That Work
Empire sales reps have meaningful discretion to discount. Common tactics that have lowered quotes for past clients:
- Ask for a competing bid match in writing. Bring a printed estimate from a local installer.
- Schedule the install for a weekday in the off season (January, February, July). End-of-month closing deals routinely shave 10 percent.
- Request the financing-included price, then ask what the cash discount is. Sometimes there is a 5 to 8 percent gap.
- Bundle multiple rooms into one job. Avoid splitting carpet bedrooms and LVP living room into two separate appointments.
- Push back on the upcharge for furniture moving if your rooms are already cleared.
What Customers Actually Get
The installation crews are typically subcontractors, not Empire employees. Quality varies by region and by crew. The best installs are crisp and tight; the worst show visible seams and uneven baseboards. Inspect carefully before the crew leaves on day one and document any issues in writing.
Empire’s customer service handles warranty claims within roughly 30 days for workmanship issues. Manufacturer claims (carpet matting, plank delamination) route through the original maker and can take longer.
When Empire Is the Right Choice
Empire makes financial sense when you need flooring fast (vacancy turnover, late-stage move-in, post-flood repair), when the job is large enough to dilute their premium per square foot, and when you cannot manage subcontractors yourself. Out-of-state landlords use Empire for rental turns because the single quote and single warranty are easier than scheduling a local installer from a distance.
It is the wrong choice for tile work, for premium hardwoods, for buyers who already have a local installer relationship, and for anyone who enjoys hands-on remodel oversight.
Real-World Cost Examples
1,200 square foot whole-home carpet replacement (mid-tier nylon): roughly $7,200 to $10,800 installed. Same job through an independent retailer with a hired local installer: $5,500 to $8,000.
800 square feet of LVP in a main level: roughly $5,600 to $9,600 installed through Empire, versus $4,000 to $6,400 through a big-box product and local installer. The difference, about $1,600 to $3,200, buys you Empire’s scheduling and accountability.
Final Take
The Empire flooring cost premium is real and consistent. Whether it is worth paying depends on how much you value time, scheduling certainty, and a single point of contact for warranty issues. Get an Empire quote alongside two local installer quotes and the math becomes obvious for your specific project. For some homeowners the convenience is worth every dollar; for others, the same budget buys a noticeably nicer floor through a local pro.
