5 people, two ladders, and 5 hours. That's what it took to assemble this wonderful addition to our property. Make sure to thoroughly read the instructions prior to building. Then, determine which parts need to be assembled. We had 2 people doing the pre-assembly, providing each part in a Just-In-Time fashion. 2 of us were on ladders and the fifth person assisted them. I was seriously impressed with the quality of the parts, even noting that all pre-tapped screw holes were cleanly tapped! The only thing I would suggest to Backyard Discovery, would be to include a second Allen wrench, as the first one was pretty ground down by the time of completion. We cut the estimated time in half with 2 extra people, allowing us to enjoy submarine sandwiches and a few adult beverages while it was still afternoon, as we christened our new pergola. 2 months later, we'd still do it! You should too!