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If you're looking for "installing roof" information, you've come to the right place. The first thing to determine is: When does it make sense to do it yourself... and when could it be a big mistake? There are two important factors for your consideration...

Installing Roof Yourself? - Factor #1: Safety

Some projects are inherently more dangerous than others. The main risk factors are the slope, the height and the condition of the roof surface. Slopes up to 6:12 are relatively easy to walk on and work on. Anything above that is increasingly difficult to do safely.

One-story roofs are safer than those that are two stories or more. And roof surfaces which are solid and offer sure footing, are much safer than rotted roof decks and slippery roofing. Asphalt shingles are usually pretty safe to walk on compared to metal, tile or wood shakes.

Be especially wary if your roof has multiple risk factors. For example, if your roof is steep, slippery and two or three stories high, it could be a big mistake trying to roof it yourself. Any money you save, will quickly evaporate if you end up in the hospital and unable to work for months due to an injury.

Installing Roof Yourself? - Factor #2: Complexity

A simple hip or gable roof with a few pipes and vents is a project many homeowners could handle. But a complicated design with numerous valleys, skylights, chimneys and other fussy flashing details is much more challenging for a do-it-yourselfer. Even pros who do this work every day have trouble getting these things right.

But if you take the time to learn the details, there's no reason you can't do a good job. What you lack in experience, you can more than make up for in dedication to the task at hand.