Installing Laminate flooring would be a great idea. There are a few things to consider before you install though...If you're installing it yourself then you've chosen the right floor. Its a very easy floor to install.BUT, laminate isn't the best for wet areas like bathrooms, saunas, etc. Just make sure if you're installing this floor by a beach where you can get it wet, just wipe away the water if you end up jumping out of the ocean and right onto your floors. There are a lot of great advantages to laminate flooring. Here's an installation guide if you decide to go for it!

Here is a link that might be useful: Laminate Installation Guide

Your renting... Don't touch it!

Seriously!

If you want to approach this, get a contract with your landlord, being very specific.

Please follow floorguy's advice and get the OK from the landlord. But, I've rented several places where the landlord was perfectly OK with me making improvements. I would try and negotiate to get at least half the cost of materials off the rent. Of course, the current rent for the beach location may be low enough to justify making the improvements yourself.

But to the other question. Yes, click-lock laminate is very easy. It's like a giant jigsaw puzzle with only straight pieces.... You really do just lay it down and snap it together. Some even come with the underlayment already attached. No glue or nails. The only tool you need is a saw with a laminate blade and a good hand saw for tricky cuts. The home improvement store folk will be able to direct you. They will even "train" you. When I met my wife, she had put it all thru her 600 sq ft apartment, including in the kitchen and bathroom. She's not super handy, but fearless.

Since you aren't super comfortable, try one room. Say, a foyer, or a small hallway, or even inside a closet. That can get your feet wet without a lot of expense. Laminate isn't "recommended" for wet areas, but if you're careful, it will be fine. We just meticulously wiped up spills and put down bathmats to catch the after-shower drips.

Good luck. If you decide to give it a try, I think you will enjoy it and doing it.

Four items about laminate that need to be carefully looked at:

1. The underfloor must be very flat or made so.

2. To present a decent appearance, all door jambs must be undercut to hide plank edges and allow for wood expansion.

3. Long runs may require ugly expansion joints and finding nice transitions to fit between laminate and nonlaminate floor areas can sometimes be difficult.

4. Some plank coatings combined with certain clothing, footwear, and lower humidity can extend the "winter static shock season" well into spring and fall.

Have you considered vinyl plank or regular sheet flooring? It can be much easier to work with and keep clean.

Thank you everyone so much for your responses! We did get permission from our landlord, they just won't pay for any of it. I never even heard of vinyl planks - thanks laat2! Now I am debating between Novalis Golden Oak (seems way easier to put down)or Ikea tundra or Dreamhome Nirvana laminate. Any thoughts? Water isn't an issue (still 3 blocks from beach) and I have a dog (Bichon Frise).

I just helped a friend lay Tundra this weekend. Never worked with laminate floors before and learned a lot. For the price point it isn't a bad product but we did have some corners lift when tapping pieces together. Like you he is renting and wanted to keep the price down. Because you can cut a vinyl plank product like Trafficmaster Allure with an exacto blade and it will slip under existing baseboards and transitions I think it will save significant amounts of time and probably in then end not cost that much more than the total cost of the laminate (underlay + baseboards + quarter round + transitions).

It is more a square foot but I think you may get a better looking outcome with a lot less work.

Here is a link that might be useful: Trafficmaster Blonde Maple

After watching an expert put down our laminate floor, I would never attempt a complex laminate project myself (and my husband built his own home theater so we are not home improvement-challenged). There were so many times where his knowledge was priceless. I think if you have a very simple project it might be fine (one square room), but if you are traversing rooms, backing into closets, multiple transitions, leave it to someone with experience.