We have floating floors - you have to get the good quality ones (I think ours is made by Boral) with real timber. The cheap ones are, well cheap & apparently you can't get them wet 'cause the lamimate warps. It was faily easy to install - DH & Dad did it here & then Dad installed the same stuff in his house, but you have to leave a gap at the edge. Dad didn't in his and it expanded and lifted. Ours has scratched where DS has pushed chairs about, but it can be sanded back & re-coated once or twice. Ours is in the kitchen, dining & living rooms and we've had no problems (and lots of water spills). I'll ask DH how much it retails for.

I don't know the cost difference between polishing and floating floors. Sorry.

Mum has polished pine and there are lots of indented scratches where the cat chased the dog out of the house - dog wouldn't be able to get traction (it was funny to watch) and so damaged the floor, but I don't think there are too many scratches from other causes.

HTH.