I am a homeowner and a member of the Homeowners' Association Board of Directors in the Linda Vista Village condo community in Lompoc, CA. Several months ago, the Board contracted with EmpireWorks to perform a major reconstruction and painting project of (13) buildings with a total of (52) homeowner units. First, I would like to address the (3) major issues that were stated in Michael D's negative review, dated 12/31/15 (also a Linda Vista Village condo homeowner). I would also like to say that the response from Jeff G. of EmpireWorks to that review is completely accurate. The Board was advised by the Project Manager, Ryan Kilpatrick, Regional V.P., EmpireWorks that a project this large was going to have to be done in stages, driven mainly by the requirements set forth by our city inspectors and the siding manufacturer's inspectors. Consequently, there are times when buildings are in an exposed condition. However, it should be noted that EmpireWorks is very aware of weather forecasts and whenever a building is in an exposed state, a conscious effort is made, in advance, to protect it completely from any type of expected severe weather conditions. Regarding smoking on-site, - During the early stage of the project, there was an issue with crewmembers not smoking in designated areas. However, when this was brought to Ryan's attention, the situation was corrected immediately. Throughout the project, the Board has received feedback from homeowners stating that the crews are always courteous and polite. They are respectful with no loud yelling or music. Daily start and finish times, as well as breaks and lunches are adhered to consistently. My personal experience with the crews has been very positive. From the beginning, the Board was also advised by Ryan that with a project of this size and magnitude, it was inevitable that there would be some damage. As soon as a homeowner reports any damage, an immediate assessment is made as to the urgency of the repair work. In some instances, repair or replacement work is done immediately. In cases of minor damage, the repair is being performed once the building is completed. As a homeowner and a Board member, I have encountered few individuals with a higher work ethic and desire to please the customer than Ryan Kilpatrick. From the very beginning, he has guided our Board through every step of the process. He listens carefully to our needs and concerns and is always available to address any issues and/or answer any questions anytime, day or night. He attends our Homeowners' Association meetings, provides detailed schedule and cost updates, and answers questions from individual homeowners. As a business person, I am especially impressed with the level of financial knowledge Ryan has had throughout the duration of our project. He has demonstrated a propensity for cost detail that is not often seen at a V.P. level. As of this date (1) building in our complex is 100% complete, with another (3) buildings 96% complete. We are very pleased with the results. They look brand new! If you are in need of a reconstruction and painting company, I would highly recommend EmpireWorks. read more

Aaron, Jim, and Jamie, were easy to work with and very professional. Empire Works painted the entire condominium complex where we live in Huntington and did an excellent job. They were thorough, conscientious and communicative. From the beginning of the project and all the way to the end, they were very attentive to our needs and concerns. They cleaned up after themselves everyday before leaving the complex, which made residents very happy. The paint and detail turned out very beautiful and I highly recommend them for any project. read more

I enjoy working with Empire Works because they have quality work and great response time. Kayla Gilman is great to work with, professional, and stays in communication with me constantly. I highly recommend EmpireWorks! read more

I am a property manager for HOA's in Orange County. I have worked with Empire on several big projects now and each time they have been amazing. Their customer service and follow up is outstanding. I would definitely recommend them. Their professionalism and customer care is very impressive. read more

Empire is great as customer service for the homeowner and being responsive to needs immediately. They are clean and tidy painters with great crews who care about the finished product. read more

We are very please with the work that Empire works did for us at Overture Riverwalk. They did an immaculate job and our community looks amazing. Chet Oshiro was in charge of the project and he was very professional and the communication with him , our team and his employees was exceptional! We look forward to working together again with your company! read more

While Empire was power washing and painting our condo complex in Newport Beach, I discovered they were using my water from my private faucet to power wash buildings over a period of 2 days. Worse, their workers used a pair of vise grips to turn on my water faucet because I had removed the handle to prevent my water from being taken. When I called Empire to complain, their rep Calvin tried to assure me that very little water was used. Really? Two days of power washing uses "very little water?" As for helping themselves to my water without my knowledge or consent, he gave a sob story about my building being "a special case" and them needing MY water to do the job. Really? Just help yourself to a private water source? And the kicker: Calvin turned flippant and said he didn't understand why I was making a big deal out of it--after all, "no one else was." That's easy: no one else CAUGHT them. I spoke to my neighbors and they had no idea Empire was taking water in the manner I discovered. Eventually Calvin offered to reimburse me for the water they used if I would present my last and next water bills. This is a shady company that will work in your complex as they see fit and then make you deal with a representative who will deftly exonerate them from any responsibility for it. Beware how they conduct themselves in your community. UPDATE 10/22/14: I came home today the week AFTER they notified us they would be painting. I found two workers painting my condo patio. They scared my dog and rearranged the BBQ, tables, chairs and plumeria plant. They got paint in the dog's food and water dishes. I spoke to the foreman on the spot. He admitted he forgot to post a notice they would be painting our patio that day. Once again, beware how this outfit conducts itself in your community. They have no problem doing whatever suits them at your expense while doing their work. UPDATE 11/13/2014: I filed a complaint with the BBB. Empire offered a check for $20 to cover the water they took. Empire still insists "What's the big deal?" and continues to defend or excuse the way they took my private water to power wash our condo building for 2 days. That is the real issue and it is one they will not acknowledge. This will be reflected in Empire's Reliability Report under BBB Case ID 10263492 for 36 months. UPDATE 11/19/14: My water bill just arrived. It was TRIPLE my normal amount. So much for Empire's claim that "very little water" is used during power washing. I called them and requested they reimburse me further for the water they stole from my faucet. Awaiting a response. UPDATE 11/23/14: Empire sent another check for $44 to cover the total of $64 in excess water usage on my bill. Because they got caught, they paid up. If I had not accidentally discovered them taking my water they would have gotten away with it. The warning remains the same: watch out for Empire when they are working on your property. read more

These guys recently painted my condo community. They trampled our plants. They did a poor job painting. They took way longer than estimated. They would ask us to clear balconies and porches so they could paint, but then not come back for a week leaving me with a BBQ in my kitchen for no reason. When the job was complete they asked for feedback on touch-ups. It took me three calls into customer service before the job foreman finally called me back. Even then he only did half of what I wanted and was otherwise useless. I would recommend you go somewhere else for your next paint job. read more

The workers on site at this association were very friendly, hard working, cooperative, and approachable. At my first encounter with the workers it so happened that I had some laundry on the line. I did not know before hand if the washing was going to be on that day so I asked if it was necessary to have to laundry taken down before they started washing my townhome. They were patient with me taking down the laundry while they did other tasks. I also asked if they would be spraying the water through the screens in my enclosed patio or if I should put up the plastic windows. They put up the plastic protection before spray washing and none came in the patio section. The worker would first notified me of the washing asked if any of my windows and door leaked. As I knew my windows did not leak I told him "No". However, I did not know that spraying water would get under my front door and seep into the entrance. It was a small mess I cleaned up easily. When it came to the scheduled day to paint the front door I asked the workers what time my front door would be painted. Juan said it would be later in the day but said he would paint it ahead of time. That was very kind and showed how the workers were very amiable. I commend the workers for their hard work and willingness to get along with the home owners and tenants. The painting was well done. Thank you. read more

I haven't chimed in on here for a while, but it's good to see a few more negative reviews regarding the same issues we have had since EmpireWorks began work in our community. One of my neighbors posted a couple weeks ago (it wasn't Mik L.), and I promised her I would read her review but never got around to it. I found it on a different "Yelp" thread regarding this company, so there are more than one of these. At any rate, today as I was completing my workout I ran past an EmpireWorks employee who was smoking pot in his car...the vehicle was parked on our street (Bell) with his window down. I complained about employees smoking cigarettes in our neighborhood two years ago, and that seemed to subside but this new crew has a few employees who have been doing the same thing since they returned. In addition, as Mary P. stated in her post, many of our units now have leaks where there were not any prior to EmpireWorks construction. Our unit is one of these. Last winter our garage flooded as a result of this company improperly installing the siding on our home. We never had a leak prior to their work, and an independent contractor verified this one was due to poor sealing done by EmpireWorks. Since that time, this company has done nothing to rectify the situation with our home, or my neighbors homes. That was almost a full year ago. There is no excuse for waiting this long to fix a leak caused by your own company. The rainy season is about to begin, we have already lost several sentimental items to the water which flooded our garage last season, and if this leak is not tended to soon, I am sure the internal structure of that portion of our home will be damaged. We (my neighbors and our family) may not attend HOA meetings, but believe me, we converse (and in this case commiserate) with each other regarding the poor manner with which this company has handled each of our homes. In addition, Janet and Nancy can rave all they like about the service provided, but they hired EmpireWorks without seeking alternate bids from anywhere near enough companies. Neither of them are out and about in our community remotely as much as many others of us who have commented (and will be commenting shortly). I am home everyday and spend a great deal of time around the neighborhood. I have only seen Janet during her monthly inspection. I have never seen Nancy. read more

Extremely disappointed with the work by this company. They are doing the painting on the condo complex I live in. We received a note on our door stating they will wash and paint the "entry door". I think most people including myself would think this means the front door, but that is not the case. I came home and realized they moved everything on my balcony around and painted my balcony. They did cover my items which is nice of them to do but I have patio tiles installed for the floor on my balcony and after they finished, it was covered in paint and dust. They never came back to wash or clean up. I tried washing and scrubbing them but they are now damaged so I will have to buy new ones and throw these out. At the very least, I would think they cover the floor when they paint or at least leave us another note (that is clear) so we can remove or cover our items. If the note clearly stated the balcony is going to be painted then this situation could have been avoided. I will never consider this company to do any work for me in the future. read more

It is important to note that this review is for Empire Works franchise in Orange County (Irvine). Absolutely the worst workmanship, service and supervision from any contractor that I have ever dealt with!! Our HOA signed a contract to paint and repair our iron fences for our complex. According to the contract, they were supposed to prep and repair the areas prior to painting. This was never done on most areas and not one property in our association, almost 1 year after starting this project, is complete. The areas that were done are already blistering, rusting and peeling with bare and unpainted spots as well. There was little to no supervision on site and the company never sent more than 2 workers on any given day. Huge gaps in the work schedule with weeks and months between any workers showing up. When the supervisor Austin did show up and was shown the sloppy work and areas that were not done properly, he just argued and said that the work was done properly and up to standard. Our HOA had also contracted with Empire to replace our seawall fence with a new fence for almost $100,000.00. That portion of the contract has been a disaster with extremely substandard product being delivered to the site. The scope of work to install the fence was wrong and they wanted to charge extra to install it properly. We have had to stop the contract at this point and only hope to recover our losses to date. Do your self a favor and read other real reviews on this company and stay away at all cost!! read more

It has been such a pleasure working with EmpireWorks. They are in the process of a wood repair/ repaint project within a Community I manage in Anaheim. Not only is their work exceptional, their customer service is even more amazing. I have the pleasure with working with Austin Riley and he is very responsive to the residents within the Community answering any questions or addressing any concerns they may have. From being present on the property to posting proper notifications to all the residents, I would highly recommend EmpireWorks for any painting project. The Board also approved them to do wrought iron fence replacement within the Community and we are looking forward to seeing their work as we know they will do a wonderful job as always. Thanks EmpireWorks! read more

I have worked with Calvin and the EmpireWorks team for over a few years, and they never fail to provide excellent customer service. They put their client's interest first and go out of their way to make sure that projects are completed efficiently. Their notification process is incredible to say the least, and they always make a great impression. Thank you Calvin and EmpireWorks for always looking out for the best for your clients! I also wanted to say Jessie is outstanding! He has a plethora of information and goes above and beyond to inform his clients of projects. Both Calvin and Jessie are such an amazing team! read more

EmpireWorks did an excellent job with a recent waterproofing of our condo building's balconies and decks. Whilst they were not our original choice of the 3 bidders on the project we quickly realized that mistake when they immediately came to the rescue after our first chosen contractor bailed on the job. Matt was our contact for the project and provided consistent outstanding communication from day one. Always wiling to answer questions from anyone on the board and responding to and mitigating any concerns or worries in a timely manner. The job was completed within the given timeframe and to budget, and although there seemed to be a slight miscommunication between their team on the final finish of the work, this was immediately rectified with no additional concerns and to the board/building's complete satisfaction. Additionally, they were able to do all the work on the building without ever having to enter any of the condos - all access was via ladder! Greatly appreciated! Would be more than happy to recommend them for any of your waterproofing needs. read more

I don't want to be a scathing reviewer that is picking a grudge by berating a company online so I will stick to hard facts. Employees were polite, at least the field guys I talked to They left my back gate open at least 4 times, letting my dog out every time (dog travels through a dog door to the backyard, and would then get out) They arrived and were on the roof of my house before 6am when they claimed not to be arriving before 7. I need to check my CCNR's but I'm pretty sure they are violating the rules of the same HOA that hired them to begin with. I've read the reviews and seen empireworks asking people to call a number. Don't bother empireworks, I'm not doing that. I didn't hire you, my community did. I am just letting other potential community leaders know that me personally, I would not hire empire works because a company that shows disregard for their customer is no one to be doing business with read more

Empire just finished painting our condo community and like the other reviews Empire were by far the sloppiest painters I have experienced. I now have paint on my new windows, concrete and blacktop, patio furniture, bar-b-que, plants and various other items around my house. These items were even moved to the center of the patio as instructed. Empire never covered anything so there are drips everywhere. Empire took forever to finish and the trim work is inferior. read more

empireworks is currently in the middle of a painting project in my community. the quality of work has been fantastic so far. more importantly - the customer service has been superior. the onsite superintendent couldn't have been more helpful when I had questions regarding the power washing of my unit. in addition, their notices were posted two days prior to starting and the painters even helped me move my patio furniture. read more

The complex I live in utilized this company. I must say I was very pleased with their willingness to accommodate and address the individual concerns I had for my unit. All Project deadlines were completed earlier than expected. Empireworks kept residents informed of each stage of the painting project. The crews on site were ALL very curious and polite. No loud yelling, cussing or music. Daily start and finish times, as well as breaks and lunches were adhered to consistently every day. Daily work areas were left clean, and during the day caution tape and/or cones were placed for safety. As far as my unit goes, they definitely earned this 5 STAR ! read more

I do not know what any of these folks are talking about. Empire Works replaced and painted the wood in my complex. We have 35 units, and they took almost a year. FOR 35 UNITS. They took up three parking spaces during that time adjacent to my unit where parking is limited. When they actually showed up, they also took up parking spaces with their cars (no respect for residents). Talking about showing up, they would leave notices on our units saying they were coming and NEVER arrive. Those notices would then be blown off our units and contribute to the trash they would leave while working (from painter's tape to cans). They actually left tape on my unit for me to remove. The last straw? They put the numbers on my unit back with tape. WITH TAPE. I called to ask them to fix it (it fell off in one day) and they never responded. I am not an owner, only a renter. But the HOA totally screwed up when they chose Empire Works to fix our complex in San Luis Obispo. Do not go with them! Pay extra to get decent workmanship and service. If I could give this company 0 stars I would. read more

I have worked with Empire Works multiple times and have never been disappointed. They have always been extremely professional and on top of every little detail. Currently they are doing a wood repair, painting, utility door replacement and deck sealing project for me at an HOA in Aliso Viejo. I have not received one single complaint. Instead I have actually received comments about how great they have been doing and how friendly and professional their guys have been. Our account manager, Austin Riley, has made the process so simple and stress free as well. He has been very responsive and has made sure to give me weekly updates on the job. He has made my job so much easier. I will definitely be working with Empire Works again for any future projects! read more

We had a good experience with the painting of our front door on Saturday September 28th with Mr. Francisco and Angel Mendosa. We got the notice that they would be coming to paint our front door posted on our garage on Tuesday and we were very concerned because we could not be here on Saturday. So we called and texted Mr. Francisco right away and he responded immediately. He notified us that he would find out the info for us and let us know. He contacted us the next day and told us the steps we needed to take. He kept in constant communication with us throughout the week and even today Saturday. He was very reassuring and was very professional. Our neighbors were able to open our door for Angel Mendosa and his crew. The door is magnificent and was all finished and dried by the time we got home. Our neighbors told us that Angel Mendosa and his crew were there right before 8:00 am already preparing and our neighbor said they were very nice and quick and they even did their door right after us. We are all very happy with the finished doors. Thank you so much Mr. Francisco and Mr. Angel Mendosa! read more

Interesting and telling that Community Managers/Project Managers rated Empire Works 5 stars (and they only managed the projects and did not get their homes painted) and the actual homeowners who got their homes painted rated them 1 star. Empire has finished our units, packed up and left. They left broken sprinklers and gobs of stucco debris in the planter and flower beds. They did not do the final finishing work on some units. The association has had to hire other contractors to finish and clean up Empire's shoddy work. read more

thanks very much for the expert and professional job your team is doing at Ave 1 condos in Irvine. our ext patio area looks beautiful and we really appreciate the clean and detailed work, the whole building looks brand new so far and will be looking great when completed. Thanks very much Austin Riley and project foreman Carlos Mendoza your great work really shows. read more

Our HOA in HB used this company as a recommendation from one of our homeowners. What a BIG mistake. After they "completed" the job, they were immediately asked to return to revisit several area of the complex which WAS MISSED. And in less than a year, the paint is already falling off the stucco or peeling off the wood fencing because they didn't sand the wood before applying new paint. I believe they are getting high marks because in a HOA situation, quite often homeowners not on the board do not know which vendor was chosen to make their repairs thus they would be getting 32 one-stars if everyone in our complex knew who performed the CRAPPY half-A** work! read more

Friendly, professional, knowledgeable and TRUSTWORTHY associates. Their pricing is extremely competitive and the service is unbeatable thus far! The service, attentiveness and follow through made me feel like a VIP client. They are responsive, courteous and meticulous, which is saying a lot from someone like me (impatient with HIGH expectations. Very, very high expectations.). I will always return to Empire for painting services. read more