Ha! Looks like this won't be nearly as hard as I thought. I was was able to move the refrig myself and then go measure where the low spot was and find the area in the basement. The shims went in much easier than I thought they would. I wonder if the weight of the refrig was responsible? The dip is almost gone in about 30 minutes of work. Now there still seems to be a little dip between the joists where sheets of plywood meet. I may have to add an additional joist there if I can get it in, unless someone can tell me and easier or less expensive fix for that. I will have to see when the rest of the kitchen cabinets come up, if there are any more dips that need to be fixed. This could run into time, money and more muscle than I have if I have to add a lot more joits. Anyway, I am waiting for help to add the 2 x 6s along side the joists to support the new height of the subloor. A woman I work with was able to give me some directions as well as what I got here, and a firm "now go do it!" that I apparently needed. Sounds harder and scarier than it really it. :) THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE! Sue

Thanks Charles -- I did look at the guidelines that you mentioned. However, it refers to gaps 'at completion' of the job and not within the 1 year warranty period. Everything I've read indicates that installing hardwood without controlling the temp / humidity for what the living conditions will be is a big no no. Re: your comment about the 'difference in moisture content of the wood floor & subfloor' -- if they are both swollen from the high humidity, then they would both shrink under the normal living conditions right? Do they both shrink at the same rate, etc? There are numerous gaps, face checking (cracks on the tops of boards -- some with the grain and some against the grain), and gaps under the baseboards (where I can easily insert a penny). I thought this was a GREAT article that directly discusses the topic of installing with no HVAC: http://www.floordaily.net/floorfocus/challenges_involved_with_installing_hardwood_wood.aspx I noticed many installers recommended waiting or turning down the job if necessary. It sounds like my builder and the installer both made a bad decision. So, isn't this something their insurance would cover? I just want my floor fixed -- not with a band-aid for a short term solution (until the warranty runs out). I just want a good quality floor and to enjoy our new home. Sigh.........

Actually unfinished engineered is rare. And thus generally MORE expensive than already finished. It generally is only for domestic woods too. No exotics. I can find unfinished engineered oak all day long for $6-7 a square. And pre finished at the same quality level for less. Moving up the scale, you can find higher quality custom produced unfinished engineered, but you’ll. Be in the $15-$20 a square for that. Anything ouside the norm, or produced in smaller quantities, will be more expensive. Have your builder give you the $2 a square credit that he’s likely hiring out to hacks and have a flooring professional install prefinished. It will be days faster and no VOC’s to deal with. The Janka scale was not invented by the internet. What a ridiculous statement. That makes you look like either a wiseass or an ignoramus. And you are supposed to be in the wood field? An Austrian named Gabriel Janka created it in 1906, and it’s an ASTM standard and has been for years. But hardness only one small piece of the puzzle in how a floor wears. It’s not one to hang your hat on and live and die by.

Not a DIY project. Where in Ma? For heaven sake google hardwood suppliers/installers in your city/town. Stay far away from Liquid anything and ........all kinds. You want white oak select grade, and expect to pay no less than 15.00 per sq foot INSTALLED and with shoe molding provided and installed . Plan to have it sit in your home for a week before installation. lecthttps://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=80ViW_raEfCMtgXTx4CYCw&q=hardwood%20installers%20New%20Hampshire&oq=hardwood+installers+New+Hampshire&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0i22i30k1l7.2634.15662.0.15967.35.30.0.4.4.0.156.3162.8j21.30.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..1.34.3269.6..0j35i39k1j0i67k1j0i131k1j0i131i67k1j0i10k1j33i22i29i30k1j33i160k1.84.ihGlF2mZiBE&npsic=0&rflfq=1&rlha=0&rllag=43249710,-71329680,54124&tbm=lcl&rldimm=1228811788733533304&ved=2ahUKEwj9n9bGhM3cAhUNSa0KHcJyDLQQvS4wAHoECAIQIg&rldoc=1&tbs=lrf:!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e3!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:10#rlfi=hd:;si:1228811788733533304;mv:!1m3!1d738167.4729810271!2d-71.4543148!3d43.407052900000004!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i253!2i382!4f13.1;tbs:lrf:!2m1!1e2!2m1!1e3!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:10