A steel or aluminum mill produces coil, a coater applies the finish, and a manufacturer or a local roll former turns that coil into panels. Many installers form panels themselves on site from coil, which is why panel length is rarely a constraint on a residential roof.
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Knowing the steps explains why lead times and prices vary the way they do.
| Step | Who does it |
|---|---|
| Substrate | Steel or aluminum mill |
| Coating | Coil coater, applying PVDF or SMP |
| Panel forming | Manufacturer, distributor or installer on site |
| Trim and flashing | Often folded by the installer on a brake |
| Delivery | Distributor, or direct from a regional plant |
Rarely worth it. Installers buy through distribution at trade prices, and supplying your own material moves responsibility for measuring, damage and shortfalls onto you.
It can also cost you warranty cover, since manufacturer coverage often depends on approved installation, and a company fitting material it did not supply may decline the workmanship warranty. what a metal roof costs installed covers where material sits in a quote, and what the components are called covers the system.
Distributors will usually sell to homeowners, but you rarely match trade pricing and you take on the risk of getting the order wrong.
Coated metal in roll form, from which panels and trim are formed either at a plant or on site with a portable roll former.
Generally no. They manufacture and often certify installers, but the work is done by independent roofing companies.
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