Whatever roof you use, you will need planning permission and Building Control apporval from the local council, so don’t install anything without having first consulted with them. There are two main options for lightweight, good-looking DIY-friendly roofing. You could choose shingling – overlapping shingles of wood – or you could go for wooden decking that slots together using a tongue and groove mechanism. Decking can be quicker to put up, though arguably shingles are nicer to look at. Shingling uses individual wooden plates or chips, which can be handmade or machine crafted from a variety of woods. At the more expensive end of the scale, hand crafted oak shingles cost £70 per m²; and at the cheaper end expect to pay £43 per 2m² for machine-manufactured American cedarwood. Don’t forget that you have to make your roof waterproof, so chose a polyester roof felt. For added insulation you will probably need to install 270mm of mineral fi bre or high-performance rigid board.