I wanted a fairly small job done, specifically a flight of stairs carpeted. As has generally been my practice I deferred to Home Advisor for their usually sound recommendations. Topping their list was (and curiously remains) Empire Today. A phone call to this business in an effort to ascertain prices and availability resulted in my being put on hold for in excess of two minutes. I was ultimately told that given the relatively small (and presumably inexpensive) nature of the job I wanted done that I would -verbatim- "have to buy something else" additionally for them to carpet my stairs. "HAVE TO BUY SOMETHING ELSE!?!?" I'd have been embarrassed as hell to have to say that to a customer. Obviously while I was kept on hold it was determined that the job I was requesting was too small and not worth their time. Permanently alienating a customer was either not considered or more likely of little or no concern to them. I reported this to Home Advisor with the hope and expectation that it will somehow be addressed.
In the final analysis it's astonishing just how venal Empire Today is. They're obviously doing well enough without my business. Weasels.