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Composed of numerous panels or shingles that lock into one another on the vertical axis, the lines of a standing-seam roof run from the edge of the roof to its peak. Water is prevented from leaking or pooling on the roof by the presence of the design's characteristic crimped panel-edges, which are raised off the surface of the roof and thus prevent water from seeping between the panels. Yet, despite the apparently simplistic principles behind its structure, a DIY standing seam roof installation will probably sound like a rather loony idea to anyone in the industry.

And indeed, while getting hold of the roof components might be a bit expensive, the installation is the exact opposite. Indeed, metal roofing panels of the standing seam variety are very light - often no more than a pound - and as such your contractor's not going to charge you anything near the rates he would installing heavy traditional materials. If he does, well, he's trying to stiff you, and you need to shop around for a new contractor. When you don't even need to remove the old roofing materials to install a new layer, there can be no cause for amplified up costs beyond the belief that you're dealing with affluent, gullible customers.

This is why a DIY standing-seam roof installation is just more trouble than it's worth. But if you're not convinced and intent to push through with your project, here's some metal roof installation tips. After you lay down your waterproof plastic membrane (an essential feature for making sure you don't let any water through your roof), you'll need to chase it with a layer of roofing paper, which you must ensure covers every nook and cranny including the spaces between the different roof surfaces (the roof valleys). One part of the job you'll definitely want to done for you (unless it's your goal to become a professional roofer and you're just practicing on your own home) is the making of ridge-cap, which is preformed to fit over the roof's peak. Once this groundwork has been laid, you're ready for the shingles.

Now that that's all done, you're ready to start worrying about the shingles, or roof paneling. Ask around at the construction outlet or hardware store where you first procured your shingles and find someone that can demonstrate the manner in which the shingles need to be fitted together. If you haven't bought the materials yet, you should know that there are a bunch of companies that make panel solutions that are really easy to clip into place, designed for DIY standing-seam roof installation and requiring nothing but your hands and perhaps the most rudimentary assortment of tools. Check out the website of Permanent Roofing Systems (permanentroofing.com), where you'll find a PDF full of DIY metal roof installation tips available for download and instant reference.

Now, all this is well and good until you realize that your roof isn't regularly shaped. And I'll tell you, most peoples' roofs fall into the category of irregular. Just about everyone's roof has some kinky little feature, like a skylight or a chimney or a dormer, that needs to have pre-made shingles cut in accordance with its shape. Should you attempt to use your regular shingles without consideration for the unique requirements of these areas, you're going to end up with a roof that is either ugly or practically ineffectual. The fact is, the tool for this job is not a saw or a hammer, it's a hydraulic powered shear with teeth sharper than razor blades that trained professionals use to quickly cut standing seam roofing panels to size on site. It's called a brake, and it's the reason you want a pro doing this kind of a job.

That said, there are going to be certain circumstances under which pre-made shingles just won't be enough, and that's when you need to swallow your pride and call in the pros. On roofs with irregularities - things like sidewalls, chimneys, dormers and skylights - standing seam panels will need to be cut to size on-site, which requires the use of a sophisticated piece of machinery called a brake - a hydraulic shear with teeth sharp enough to cut panels to just the right length without damaging their ends. That's one feat it's very difficult for a human saw-wielder to replicate.

So maybe, on just this one occasion, it's the time to loosen those fists and hand over the cash for a skilled roofer's work. Indeed, if your worker as recommended by the manufacturer, or at least is recognized as qualified to install standing seam roof panels, it'll mean that your roof is subject to warranty - and that you can look forward to fifty or more years of being secure in the knowledge that you've a strong roof over your head.

For more interesting articles on DIY Standing-Seam Roof Installation check out www.DurableMetalRoofs.com