JACOB WEBB – GWR of SENOIA, GA
Out of a tumultuous childhood and a period of homelessness, Jacob Webb, Owner of GWR in Senoia, Ga., near Atlanta, has built a respected remodeling business with an emphasis on shower installation. And he has parlayed his Certified Tile Installer status into a beacon for customers looking for quality work.
His early years were colored by his dad’s addiction struggles, and later his mom, who had moved the family around a lot trying to provide for them, defaulted on rent after succumbing to addiction to pain pills and alcohol. This left Webb without a home. After staying a while with his uncle, he wound up living in his truck and sleeping under a bridge for nearly eight months – all the while working on a sequential range of jobs. Then a kind local resident rented out one of the bedrooms in his house to Webb.
During this time, he started working for a local renovator doing kitchens, baths and additions. He apprenticed under this renovator’s tile installer for two years, soaking in all the knowledge he could. Eventually he went to work at another renovation company, learning about cutting tiles, mixing mortar and grout, and about LVP as well. He really enjoyed the tile side of the business and building showers – tearing out an existing shower and turning it into something the homeowner was dreaming of.
In 2019, he sold his first job on his own, and the renovator gave him the job to complete: a tub surround with 4″ x 4″ travertine, and porcelain plank. “I was pretty nervous, but it looked fantastic,” Webb said. “Then I got the checks and thought, ‘I could do this every day!’”
With full support from his girlfriend (now fiancée), Jacob decided to go to work for himself in 2020, originally “prideful of being one of the cheapest guys around,” he said. “Now we are one of the highest. We do not compete on price. This is the price to do the work to our expectations.” His business, GWR (which stands for General W Renovations), does complete remodels, from custom cabinets to countertops, mirrors, and fixtures. He also offers hardwood and LVP/LVT flooring, stone, Aria Vents, and, of course, tile showers and backsplashes.
Providing a good living – for self and employees
He proudly provides a good living for his apprentice, his brother who is an installer and his apprentice, and himself – and this is one of the joys of the business for him. He knew what it was like to be underpaid and unappreciated and how that sucks the motivation out of coming to work.
“I didn’t want to create a work environment like that for my guys,” he said. “Not only do I tell them often [that they are doing a good job], but I pay them well and include profit sharing. If they bring in the job in three weeks instead of four, they share in the benefits.” He calls paying well and appreciating workers a “necessity in the 2025 workforce.”
As he was growing his business, he attended every class Schluter offers. “I want to know everything there is to know about the products I am selling.” He especially valued the “Mind Your Business” class from Schluter since he struggles with money management in running a business.
“My mom was good with money but never taught me how to handle it,” he said. “I was never great with finances.” He is keen to learn how to be able to effectively manage the income in the business and retain it, and use it for investment and marketing and not only payroll, so the business can grow.
Webb got a free NTCA membership when he passed his CTI test in Savannah, Ga., in November 2022 after taking a Schluter class, earning him CTI #1823. He then renewed his membership via a Floor & Decor voucher, and this year paid out of pocket to remain a member. A porcelain panel NTCA training class is in the cards for him this year, since his company installs a lot of 24″ x 28″, 4′ x 8′ and 5′ x 10′ slabs and Dekton panels.
The incomparable value of NTCA University
But one of the greatest values he’s found is in NTCA University.
“It’s one of the only places to go online to look at dozens and dozens of continuing education courses,” he said. “What a tool this is! That alone is worth the payment annually before you even receive vouchers that pay you back. There are dozens of free educational courses available to you at any time. And they are virtually free – they pretty much pay you to take the courses. You receive $2,000 in vouchers in return for $700 annual payment and tens of thousands of courses.”
And speaking of certification, he is extremely proud of this accomplishment. His fiancée designed the company website that opens with an explanation of what a CTI is and what it means to be one. And he’s gone a step further, claiming his business URL as YourCertifiedTileInstaller.com! He says this designation sets his business apart locally, and in social media. He touts that his certification is backed by a major industry and nationally recognized by the NTCA and CTEF.
“Wouldn’t you prefer someone certified who beats their chest about their experience in the field?” he asked. “No one else in town is certified or cares to be.” His installer and apprentice took the exam recently and didn’t pass – yet. They are planning to retest this month. It was still a worthwhile learning experience.
Other joys of the business for Webb include the sale process of “walking into a stranger’s home, shaking their hand, and selling them a high-quality install.” He said he has built up a network of friends in the community who “check in on us and send us Christmas cards.”
There is joy in building what people want, he said: “tearing out an old builder-grade diminishing bathroom and turning it into shiny, porcelain usable art! You take an old piece of nothing and turn it into a Rolls Royce.”
Lesley Goddin has been writing and journaling since her first diary at age 11. Her journey has taken her through a career in publishing and publicity, landing her the editor position of TileLetter and its special publications in 2006. Her goal is to educate, inspire, recognize and encourage those in the tile industry -- especially the tile and stone contractor.
