Before I go back to the place that installed my laminate floors, I need to know if there is something I can do. It is so hard to set up a time with them to come back out. There are a few planks that are slightly up at the corners and do not lay flat. When I swiffer, it snags. I have tried beating the corners down with a rubber mallot but that does no good. Also, I hate the way it sounds when I walk across it with heels or hard shoes. I really did not want to pay so much for more area rugs. Does anyone have these concerns? I really welcome as many answers as possible from those of you that got fairly cheaper laminate so I can live with what might have been a bad decision. I am on a tight budget. I have 1400 square feet of this stuff, but it does look good.

NeedKarma

Looks like they didn't leave the 1/4" necessary under the baseboards to make it a floating floor. It sounds like they butted the laminate right up against the wall and it's buckling. Only fix is to remove the baseboards, lift the laminate panel and take off some material. There are members with more experience than me around here so you should wait for a second opinion, though I just installed a floor a few months ago so that's fresh in my mind.

skiberger

What more than likely happened was when they connected the boards together it was not fully square with the next piece on the end edge. Check along the long edges of the floor boards to make sure they are all tight in the areas you mentioned. If there are slight gaps along the lengths, the ends wont connect totally square to each other and when they slam them togehter to close the end gaps what happens is a corner will lift.
There is no really easy solution if the boards are in the "field" of the floor. One possibility would be get a razor knife, straight edge and cut the high edges until they lay flat, touch up w/ a wax stick and use clear nail polish so the ends dont delaminate.

If the edges are lifted close to the walls, the problem may be what Needkarma said.

RickJ

Both good suggestions to look at.

As for the sound, you are hearing pretty much how laminate sounds. When I did mine I used a thicker heavier pad than the basic one and it's not too bad...but I still had to get used to it.

Beyond looking at the above, I'd definately get the contractor back out there.
It could even be that there is a piece of something on the floor under where it's coming up...or those pieces could be damaged where you can't see it.

Either way, if it's not laying flat, then it's due to incorrect/poor installation.