This is the first time I've put together furniture that didn't come with all the holes pre-drilled. Yes, that means they expect that you're going to make some of the holes yourself. They suggest having an awl on hand to make the holes (not sure about you, but I don't own an awl). After taking an hour and a half, and a whole lot of finger/hand pain to put the first one together, I got smart and borrowed my neighbor's drill. Second one only took 30 minutes to complete ;) Once they were assembled they seem sturdy and look decent, especially for the price.