My 24 yrs old daughter did her own lounge area 15x23 ft she found it best and cheaper to remove the old skirting boards before laying the flooring because you have to leave a gap round the edges to allow for expansion If you leave the skirting boards in situ you have to put quadrant round to hide the gap She later sold the house to a builders daughter and he was amazed that she had made such a good job of the floor Good Luck
if laying it in the kitchen or where there is any form of moisture use sealing glue to bond/seal the planks together. otherwise you will get gaps appearing where the boards get wet-expand ; dry out- contract.