Temporarily remove turf

I'm a total novice when it comes to the garden.

I've just had new turf put down. The problem is they've done it so that I can no longer open my garage side door!



However, I realised that instead of getting them back again to create a clearway to open the door again I thought why not have the door open inwards instead. I then won't spoil the look of the lawn. I think I prefer it that way.

My problem is that for now I have to dig up some of the turf temporarily to open the door in the first place with the intention of putting it back once I've reveresed the door.

So my question is, do I dig up the turf the same way as the videos on YouTube etc. and for how long can it remain removed before putting it back?

It was only put down a week ago so I don't know if that changes things.

Thanks very much.

 

Looks like really big problems with levels there to me,assuming the bottom rail on that door is in the region of 6 ins plus.?

 

Thanks for your replies, I really appreciate it.

I didn't think about the damp like I would with the DPM of a house!
I can say that they have only increased the height by no more than 1 inch but I don't know if that would or could make a difference?

 

If they reduced the finished level outside the door it will pond every time it rains, plus run under the door. The puddle will freeze in winter and create an icy hazard in the door opening. The bottom of the door will sit in a puddle and rot/expand and jam.

Water ingress under the door might be prevented by bedding a galvanised steel strip into a groove cut in the concrete floor, or by using a proprietary threshold weatherseal, but both would require alterations to the door.

If the door frame is rebated (rather than having removal stops), changing the door to swing the other way would involve removing the frame and re-fixing facing inwards, re-hanging the door (as the ironmongery would be on the wrong side), making good frame where butts removed. If it has nailed on stops then having these exposed to the weather would make them vulnerable to rot.

And then you'd have problem with loss of usable space within the garage and rotting of the door where it abuts the turf. The door would also end up 'handed' and if that wasn't suitable all the ironmongery would need changing around and the door making good.

I haven't seen anything as bad as that since 'plumbers' working at my in-laws routed central heating pipework around the front of a small chest of drawers because they couldn't be bothered to move it out the way to get to the wall behind.

Dpc level is probably top of concrete floor slab level.

If the dpc has been bridged a solution would be to roll back the adjacent turf, excavate a small trench along the brickwork, lay a row of concrete path edgings laid flat, with a gap between them and the brickwork filled with gravel kept below dpc. Set top of edgings about 12mm below top of turf, then you can mow right up to the edge (and wont skin your knuckles on the brickwork).

That would still leave the issue of the door to resolve.

 

If they have only increased the ground level by an inch I'm guessing that door is probably second hand and has been cut down in height.
Sorry to say, I think it might be a bodge job originally, and guessing DPC etc. doesn't actually exist anyway.
Personally I'd not want grass right up to a doorway any way, it's totally impractical.

I believe the whole set up needs a rethink.

 

The door is quite rickety. In fact, the bottom hinge is no longer attached to the frame because that part of the frame has rotted which is probably the result of the grass & soil being so close to it originally.

I will have a rethink and give priority to the best solution for keeping the repairs I will make from rotting again.

However, the guy whose company put the turf down came round last night (to collect some money) and initially offered to 'lower' the ground around the door so that it will open. I asked him if he could put pavers down instead and he agreed with that option too, so I will let him know what I would like over the coming days.

What I would like to know though, is his idea of lowering the ground around the door perfectly acceptable or just a quick fix that could lead to problems?

Thanks again.