In general, it is better to have a mindset of making what is already there better rather than tearing it out and starting again, unless there is no way to salvage the original.
With natural stone floor restoration services provided by a professional team, there is almost nothing that cannot be righted, from evening out floors, removing grime, correcting discoloured patches, polishing scratches and removing and replacing old grout and mortar with an appropriate replacement.
With natural stone and marble flooring, there is almost no reason to replace rather than repair, restore and preserve history. The beauty of natural materials is that cracks, chips and typical evidence of the ageing process only add to the amazing character of the floor.
Generally, the only time when stone floors should be replaced is when the original is truly unsalvageable, and this is typically only the case when the stones suffer significant water damage or are contaminated in a way that cannot be removed even by professionals.
One major cause of this is water damage, such as that caused by flooding, burst pipes or significant damaging spills. This can potentially unsettle the earth below, cause damp and mould, and potentially cause the floor to be a hazard.
If there is significant damage that cannot be repaired or restored, even through the use of material such as epoxy, that can mean it is time to replace the stone, although great care should be taken in both lifting the stone and disposing of it.
Finally, there can be times when due to other structural issues with an older building, the stone flooring has to be lifted up. If it cannot be relaid without spoiling it, this can be indicative that it is time to consider replacing it with a system better suited to your needs.
However, great care needs to be taken with historic buildings to not upset the delicate balance of the building. Many old buildings have been destroyed by not appreciating how they breathe and circulate moisture.