I was a little skeptical when ordering, mainly due to this being a budget friendly pergola. Opening the box was quite overwhelming but once the items were sorted I soon realized there wasn't as much as I anticipated. The instructions were very detailed and I was able to do all of it myself until it came time to attach the bigger pieces, and then my husband stepped in to help. My only complaint is there were a few dents and also some of the pre-drilled holes were off, making it a challenge to get the screws in. I chose a white pergola which looks awesome on my white deck. Not sure how well it will hold up in Michigan Winters, but I plan on taking the canopy off for safe measure. Hoping it lasts through a few seasons because we really do like it.