Serving the Central Valley Since 1987
Serving the Central Valley Since 1987
About This Service
At Ultimate Pools by Fetter, custom pool design isn’t a starting template with a few options. It’s a genuine collaboration between you and our design team, built around your specific space, your vision, and the realities of your property.
We’ve been designing and building pools in Modesto and the Central Valley for over 38 years — working with every kind of backyard. Sprawling custom lots, tight newer subdivisions, unusually shaped yards, and properties with challenging soil or grade conditions. That experience shapes how we approach design from the very first conversation.
How It Works
01
We visit your property to assess the space, discuss your vision, and identify site-specific factors that will influence the design — slope, soil conditions, sun exposure, equipment access, and proximity to the home. This visit is the foundation of a design that works for your actual yard.
02
Using professional 3D design software, we create a detailed rendering of your proposed pool and backyard. You’ll see exactly how the finished space will look — pool shape, depth transitions, coping, decking, water features — before a shovel enters the ground.
03
We physically paint out the complete pool and deck layout at your property so you can walk through the space. We review depth vs. length, step placement, light positions, drainage, safety provisions, and more. No other company provides this level of review before construction begins.
04
Once the design is finalized, we prepare engineering drawings and handle permit submissions with the City of Modesto. We manage this process so you don’t have to — and construction begins only when every detail has been reviewed and approved.
Built for Central Valley Conditions
The Central Valley’s alluvial clay soils, hardpan layers, and variable drainage conditions all influence pool design before construction begins. Expansive clay — common across Modesto and surrounding areas — can expand and contract with seasonal moisture changes, creating ground movement that stresses pool shells if not properly engineered.
At Fetter, our site assessment identifies soil characteristics specific to your backyard so the design — shell thickness, drainage provisions, structural reinforcement — is built for what’s actually in the ground. A beautiful design only holds up when it’s engineered for the soil underneath it.
Design Philosophy
A well-designed pool does more than look attractive in a rendering. It fits the scale of the yard without overwhelming it. It connects naturally to the home and any outdoor living spaces. It accounts for how water moves on and around the property. And it’s designed to be built — not just imagined.
At Fetter, our design team is our build team. We design knowing exactly what it takes to construct, which means fewer surprises during construction and a finished result that matches what you were shown from the very beginning.
Designed for your yard's specific dimensions — never a template resized to fit.
Every design decision accounts for what's required to actually construct it.
See your finished backyard before any work begins — no surprises.
We refine until the design is exactly right. It's your pool.
Your Questions Answered