If you're seriously considering a DIY standing-seam roof installation, you'd best bone up on your general knowledge regarding what is undoubtedly a great roofing solution. While successful amateur installations are not unheard of, your surest bet is to seek the help of a professional. Standing-seam roofs are made of numerous interlocking panels, which run vertically from the ridge, or edge, of the roof to its apex at the eave. The seam where any two panels interlock is raised just above the surface of the roof, allowing water to run off the roof without it dripping in between the panels. This simple structure belies numerous details of installation that, if not properly attended to, can lessen the efficacy and lifespan of the roof.

That said, metal roofing panels are generally much easier to move around than traditional clay or fiber-glass shingles. Weighing in at only one to two pounds apiece, their portability makes the logistics of lugging them onto a rooftop much simpler, so your contractor's unlikely to charge you the same rates he would for a more challenging job. You can also forego the need to tear the old roofing off, as installing a standing seam roof over the old roof is no more difficult than normal installation.

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.

If your roof is irregularly constructed - with features like skylights, dormers or chimneys - then you need to reconsider what your goal is in doing this job on your own. In such cases, pre-made shingles just aren't going to be enough to cover the entire roof surface. The irregular areas are going to require custom-cut shingles, and working with a saw and some chalk just isn't going to be enough. What's needed is hydraulic shear called a break, a portable device used by professionals to shape standing-seam panels on-site, a feat that would take a human ten times as long 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.

So don't be tight-fisted now. Well installed standing seam roofs often come with manufacturer-warranties of up to fifty years - assuming the roof was installed by a certified professional. A once-off payment now could be the key to a home that retains its value for decades.

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