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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.

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.

Properly installed, standing seam roofs are watertight, immune to the forces of wind and hail, fire retardant and require virtually zero maintenance aside from the odd hose-down every year or so. Indeed, they so improve the safety of your home that many insurance companies are willing to cut large amounts of money off the cost of their policies for homes with metal roofs.

You should find a professional at your local hardware or construction outlet to demonstrate just how to fit the shingles together. The most visually stunning configuration you can arrange panels in is a staggered pattern. You can find panel solutions, such as those made by Permanent Roofing Systems, that take a lot of the guesswork out of this process, as they can pretty much be clipped together by hand. Designed for the construction amateur, these four-way shingles often come pre-assembled in multi-shingle sheets, greatly reducing the labor you'll be required to undertake. Go to permanentroofing.com for a downloadable PDF full of DIY standing seam roof installation tips.

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 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.