A custom pool installation turns your backyard into the most used space in your home. Ted Lare Design & Build designs and builds premium inground pools for homeowners across Des Moines and Central Iowa. Every project combines expert craftsmanship with full outdoor integration, so your pool fits seamlessly into the landscape around it. You get a backyard that adds real value to your property and gives your family a private retreat you will enjoy for decades.
Over 40 Years of Luxury Outdoor Living Experience
Founded in 1982 by Ted Lare, our team brings more than four decades of hands-on experience designing and building custom outdoor environments across Central Iowa. Over the years, we’ve completed countless luxury pool installations, patios, outdoor living spaces, and landscape features, giving us deep insight into what works best for Iowa homes, lifestyles, and climate conditions. From modern geometric pools to resort-style backyard retreats, we create custom pool environments designed for long-term beauty, functionality, and enjoyment.
A custom pool builder in Des Moines should deliver more than a hole in the ground filled with water. Your pool should work with your patio, your landscaping, and your outdoor living spaces to create one connected environment. Ted Lare handles pool installation as part of a complete backyard plan. That means your pool area flows naturally into dining zones, lounging areas, and entertaining spaces. Your backyard becomes a spot you actually want to spend time in every day of the season. Ready to start planning? Schedule your pool design consultation with our team today.
Most pool contractors in Des Moines, IA build your pool and leave the rest to someone else. Ted Lare takes a different approach. As a full-service design-build firm, we manage everything from initial concept through final walkthrough. Your pool, paver patio, plantings, and hardscape all come from one team. That eliminates miscommunication between contractors, keeps your project on schedule, and delivers a finished space where every element looks like it belongs togethe
Every backyard pool design in Des Moines we create starts with your property, your goals, and how you plan to use the space. We build custom backyard pools shaped to fit the dimensions of your yard and the way your family lives outdoors. Want to connect your pool to a stone patio with a fire pit at one end and a pergola at the other? Our team designs that full layout as a single, unified pool and patio design so nothing feels bolted on after the fact.
Inground pool installation in Des Moines requires materials and construction methods that hold up year after year. Ted Lare builds custom inground pools with reinforced shells, premium tile and coping, and plumbing systems rated for decades of use. Every pool shape is fully custom, from clean geometric lines to freeform curves that follow the natural contour of your yard. Quality inground swimming pool construction protects your investment and keeps maintenance costs down over the life of your pool.
Luxury pool design goes beyond the pool itself. We integrate features that turn your backyard into a full outdoor living pool design experience. LED color-changing lights set the mood after dark. Built-in waterfalls add movement and sound. Tanning ledges give you a shallow lounging spot without leaving the water. Smart controls let you manage filtration, heating, and lighting from your phone. Every feature serves a purpose and adds to the way you use your outdoor space.
Residential pool installation in Iowa demands a builder who understands the ground beneath your feet. Central Iowa’s clay-heavy soil shifts with moisture changes. Freeze-thaw cycles put stress on pool shells, plumbing lines, and coping joints every winter. Our pool contractors in Des Moines, IA engineer every pool to handle these conditions with proper drainage, flexible plumbing connections, and reinforced structures designed for the local climate.
Working with Ted Lare means one team from start to finish. Your project moves through five clear stages: initial consultation, custom design, excavation and site prep, pool construction and surrounding landscaping, and a final walkthrough before handoff. You never have to coordinate between separate excavators, plumbers, electricians, and landscapers. We manage every trade and keep the project moving on a single timeline.
Below are answers to the most common questions homeowners ask before starting a pool project in Des Moines.
Pool size, depth, shape complexity, materials (concrete vs. fiberglass vs. vinyl), site conditions, and added features like waterfalls or smart controls all influence the final price. Difficult access or significant grading work can also adjust costs.
Most custom inground pool projects in Des Moines take 8 to 12 weeks from excavation to completion. Complex builds with extensive hardscaping or custom features may take longer. Weather and permitting timelines can also affect the schedule.
That depends on your lot size, soil conditions, budget, and design goals. Concrete pools offer the most flexibility for custom shapes and finishes. Fiberglass installs faster. We evaluate your property during the consultation and recommend the best fit.
Yes. Ted Lare specializes in complete outdoor environments. We design and build your pool alongside patios, fire pits, pergolas, and landscape plantings so every element works together as one cohesive space.
A well-designed inground pool can increase home value by 5% to 8% in the Des Moines market. Beyond resale, a pool dramatically expands how you use your backyard from late spring through early fall.
Clean geometric shapes, integrated tanning ledges, LED perimeter lighting, and natural stone surrounds are popular choices in Des Moines. Infinity edges and raised spillover spas also add a modern look to larger properties.
Regular maintenance includes balancing water chemistry weekly, running the filtration system daily, cleaning skimmer baskets, and scheduling professional opening and closing services each season. Smart pool systems can automate much of this.
Custom pools fit your exact yard dimensions and design preferences. Pre-built (fiberglass shell) pools install faster, but limit your shape and size options. If design flexibility matters, custom is the better investment.
Yes. We regularly build pools on sloped lots and compact properties across Central Iowa. Retaining walls, multi-level decking, and creative grading allow us to work with challenging terrain and still deliver a functional pool.
Your backyard is ready for an upgrade. Ted Lare Design & Build brings premium pool installation in Des Moines together with expert landscape design and full project management. Again, one team handles everything, so you get a finished space that exceeds expectations.
Schedule your consultation or contact our team to start the conversation.
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