Choose the timber. Watch it go up.

Posts, beams and rafters cut to length and notched to fit, the fixings for your chosen base, every screw and bolt, and a drawing with each piece numbered. You'll need a drill, a spirit level, a ladder and a second pair of hands.

Two people can usually build a kit in a weekend. Concreted posts need a day or two to set before the beams go on. We normally install one in a day.

Softwood if you want to paint it or keep the cost down. It's pressure-treated, so it stands up to the weather. Hardwood if you'd rather leave it alone: it's denser, lasts longer untreated and goes silver-grey over the years. Oak costs about three times as much.

Most garden pergolas in England don't, because they usually count as permitted development. There are limits: height (generally no more than 2.5 m if it's within 2 m of a boundary), position (not in front of the house facing the road) and how much of the garden it covers. Listed buildings, conservation areas and Dedham Vale and other National Landscapes have tighter rules. If you're unsure, check with your council (Colchester City Council or your local one) or the Planning Portal before you order. We're happy to talk it through, but the council's word is final.

Overall is the outside of the roof beams, the footprint you need clear. Between posts is the space inside the posts, where the table goes. The beams overhang the posts at each end, so the inside space is smaller. The configurator shows both.

Yes. On a patio we bolt steel shoes into the slabs or the concrete underneath. On decking we screw base plates through into the joists. On lawn or soil the posts go about 600 mm into concrete. If you're not sure what's under the surface, tell us and we'll check before we price.

Delivery from Colchester is £76.88 up to 25 miles, then £2.60 a mile beyond that, plus VAT. Put your postcode into the configurator and it works it out. Choose fitting (£700 plus VAT, or £850 with a slatted roof) and delivery is free. Past 100 road miles from Colchester, we quote it for you.

Spring fills up first, so if you want it for summer, get in touch early. We'll give you a date when we confirm the price.