<== 5 summers of landscaping:
When you install that stuff, you need to make sure it is very tight to neighboring pieces. If you don't do this, it will die. You probably will need to fill in the gaps if you did not.
And the soil beneath the sod should have been looser. The best phrase is to say that it should not have been compacted. If it was, the sod will never (or take a long time atleast) to take root i nthe soil below. That is what you really are trying to do with sod is make sure the root structure joins the existing earth below. Until this happens, you need to water it and water it alot. A good soaking every morning should suffice. In the afternoon also on very hot days. You need to keep that sod moist.