I think there are water pipes under the concrete floor. It is a 1950s buliding . After much research I've realised that gluing down the floor is best but here in France there are many shops which state that I'd need to glue a layer of cork under the wood. They say that for the neighbors and possible future legal conflict it's necessary. Is this the case or can I just glue the wood straight onto the concrete floor? Also, is it really not advisable to float the floor? The cost of extra adhesive and cork will be significant - not to mention the extra work load!

Just put down the vapor barrier and your new laminate floor. There is very little (if any) asbestos in the glue, and you're "encapsulating" it. If you were to GRIND it, it's possible that you would put dust in the air....even then, a dust mask should do the trick. Too many people stress over asbestos. Unless it's the loose stuff covering old pipes, there really isn't much room for concern. For it to affect you, you would need constant exposure for years...

Down in the basement, several years ago, I had carpet that needed to be pulled out d/t water penetration. It was glued down on what appears to be vinyl composition tiles, which seem to be in pretty good shape ( they must be some 30-50 years old but are well adhered to the cement floor and no chips) except for the glue/carpet residue left on them. How can I remove that without damaging the tiles? I am assuming that adhesive remover will do damage, although I haven't tried it yet. If they clean up well, I may be content with that floor to make it a nicer/usable space for exercise and storage. If they don't prove to be a good surface, what would be the best choice to put over them? Nothing seems very good -- carpet gets musty, raised systems will eat up too much headroom, tile will be expensive and hard to install (and require the VCT to be removed?), vinyl and rubber flooring will trap dampness and grow mold; the manufacturer of a floor coating system said not to use it if there is any chance of dampness; laminate, cork and engineered wood may be damaged by moisture--- although the floor has not gotten wet since I regraded and put the sump in, the walls do get damp & I have to run the dehumidifier to avoid a musty odor. I have left a large cork sample on the floor for nearly a year without it showing a problem, but... there was exposed floor all around it. I would love some advice!

I'm with jfcwood. Lay down something (craft paper used underneath hardwoods would work without causing issues with trapped moisture like a vapour barrier would) to cover up the mastic/old glue. Once it is covered, the pergo should go right over it. And hopefully you are working with the very top of the line Pergo that has slight water resistance (it takes almost 30 minutes before water causes damage to the new stuff). Normally laminate should not be installed in a kitchen...I understand Pergo has ONE that they believe can do "OK" in a kitchen...but spills still need IMMEDIATE attention. Good luck. Throw something down over the sticky stuff and keep going.