Huge gaps in new floor/house and builder saying it’s normal

Q: I have 7 inch hardwood floors with very large gaps and uneven edges. The floor is also very wavy and has staples popping up all over. The home is 8 months old and the builder is telling me (although his team looked at it and said “Oh wow, that’s not good”) that according to the manufacture the gaps can be 7 times wider then “normal”. I don’t believe him at all and I don’t know what to do from here.

I have gaps that I can fit 4 quarters in and the waves are like the ocean. Any advice would help. TY!

A: I wouldn’t view any of what you describe as acceptable or normal.  Here is what it sounds like to me.  This is a new build.  That means at some point this entire structure was open and exposed to the weather.  It never really dried out before the floor was installed.  I suspect the sub floor sheeting is also not spruce plywood but OSB which does not hold fasteners as well.  So, your wide plank floor expanded from moisture which pulled or stretched out some of the staples and then it started to shrink as it dried, leaving you with what you now see.  I don’t know how this can be fixed short of removing the flooring and starting over.

Follow-up: Thank you for the fast response.  I think you are spot on, we are thinking the same thing. The floor both upstairs and down, are very wavy and many staples are popped up to the extent my son cut his toe.

I have a feeling I may be in court with this one. A shame for a home that was $955,000.