For homeowners in Dallas-Fort Worth, roofing maintenance and insurance might be a sore topic of conversation. DFW ranks first in the U.S. for hail storms, and with hail, comes roof damage. Marcus Cox is one of three co-owners of Luby Construction Group and said they are not only committed to providing quality roofing work, but to giving homeowners the tools they need to properly insure their homes.
Cox, Dylan Luby and Brady Luby all worked in the roofing industry before ultimately deciding to start their own roofing company. Some of the services the company provides include roof repair, replacement and inspection as well as gutter replacement and installation, fence construction and more. The three owners officially merged into one group in the spring of 2022 with a mission to rewrite the industry’s reputation with honest work.
The new Luby Construction office in Plano was built in April 2022 and includes a bullpen the co-owners use to host one to two events a month specifically geared toward the roofing industry. Cox said the goal is to elevate the industry as a whole by helping roofers improve their skills. The group also brings in real estate agents and insurance agents paired with their homeowners to help teach people how to properly insure their houses.
“There’s not a licensing requirement to do roofing,” Cox said. “There’s no education requirement. You aren’t even required to carry general liability insurance to be a roofer in Texas. So in DFW, a lot of homeowners are left in a situation when a storm hits. They’ve got 30 door-knockers a day and 500 options to choose from online, and it can be difficult to navigate.”
Cox said while less than 4% of roofers are licensed in the state, Luby Construction is licensed in Texas through the Roofing Contractors Association of Texas. In addition, Luby Construction has a level three certification in Xactimate, a software used for estimating property insurance claims. Only 250 people in the world have the level three certification in the software.
This means Luby Construction will properly document damages and knows how to utilize the estimating software better than anyone in the industry. Underpayment on estimates can lead to contractors taking shortcuts, but when damages are documented correctly, it gives the homeowner more options when contracting with us and properly pays for damages so we can offer the best restoration options, Cox said.
“The issue isn’t how much money we make on a claim, it’s how much damage is covered on the claim. If [insurance companies] don’t pay you properly for your fence and only give you $500 when they really owe you $2,500, that makes a big difference in the quality of the work you’re going to get with a roofer.”
Cox said while most roofers do not want to go back and forth with insurance companies, Luby Construction wants everything on the claim accounted for. The group also offers twofold warranties which include workmanship and manufacturer warranties.
“Because our roofing systems are registered through the manufacturer, all the components of the roofing system are covered,” he said. “When we provide a warranty, we register it with the manufacturer, which the majority of roofing companies don’t do. Plus, we provide you with a certificate from the manufacturer of your roofing system. And the warranties are transferable, so if you sell your house, it’s transferable to the new owner.”
In the industry, other roofers may offer homeowners lifetime warranties, but what they fail to mention is that warranty is prorated from the day the roof is put on, Cox said. This means the warranty is not a dollar-for-dollar match unless it is registered as an extended warranty. Additionally, some roofers mix and match the manufacturer of roofing components which can void the manufacturer warranty altogether. In this case, additional components and labor are an out of pocket expense for the homeowner.
In the future, Cox is planning to make one to three minute videos to share more tips like these and inform homeowners on things they should know about insurance. This year, he also plans to go to the Texas Legislature with a group of attorneys and public adjusters to lobby for homeowners in the state.
“It’s more to us than nailing up a shingle, so we’re digging in deep,” he said. “We’re in this for the long haul and we’re going to be in Texas for the rest of our lives. We are trying to do more than just put shingles on people’s houses.”
Luby Construction serves North and East Texas and has a second location in Midland. For more information about Luby Construction Group, click here.
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