I have a newly built home with a newly installed maple floor. It is a 3" wide, 1/2" thick plank with nutmeg stain. Sounds beautiful, right? It's not, though it has the potential to be.
1st time the finish was unsatifactory because there was heavy grit throughout, as well as bubbles and hairs trapped in the urethane. The finisher had spilled some stain in a 4' square area and it was dark enough to make the area look like a shadow. The finisher came back out, sanded the darkened area and blended it successfully, then screened the rest of the floor and reapplied the urethane. The result was a reduction in the trapped grit, though there were still hairs and bubbles in more than a few areas, and a rougher feel and look to the wood where the 'shadow' had been sanded out. I don't think it is too much to want people who come to my new house to rave over the hardwood floor. My aunt came to visit, and she said, "The house is beautiful, but who made such a mess of the floor?" I was embarrassed, mostly for the people who made the mess. I decided the third time must be the charm, so I again called them back. The guy treated me like I was being too fussy. I asked him if he wanted me to be thrilled with my floor and refer people to him, or to tell them to use someone else. He said if he buffed down too far, there would be swirl marks in the finish. He also said if they had to take it down to the wood, the sanding would make the stain uneven, but he would go ahead and do a "light screen" and reapply the (REALLY STINKY) urethane.
The third time was NOT the charm. My floor looks worse than ever. Lots of bubbles, lots of grit, tons of swirl marks. The hairs which were stuck in the urethane were still there, right where they had been before. How can the screening be so light that it didn't get rid of the embedded hairs, but left swirl marks all over the place? Adding insult to injury, this time the urethane is very uneven with streaks, puddles, mop marks, and areas that were missed by the urethane entirely. I am I out of my mind to expect better results than this?
Can anyone tell me what needs to happen here to make my floor the beauty I know it can be? Also, how do I deal with this finishing guy? I cannot bear to be patronized again. The floor issue is a warranty item and my builder is coordinating with the installer on the refinishing. Can I insist on the builder using a different company that has a better chance of getting it right?
Please help. I am at my wits end.

Sounds like you need to do research to find out who is qualified to do a good job, then hand his business card and quote to the builder and say "Fix it."

Send the guy a legal letter of intent. Letting him know that your not satiffied with his work and craftsmanship. Since you have given him 3 tries, it is now time, to hire another professional to fix his mess, and you will be billing him for any costs involved to make it right.

Take lots of pictures, along with written opinions from other sand & fininish professionals, for when it goes to litigation, to get your costs repaid.