We have owned this for over six months now. It has held up just fine and functions and looks great! It was a bit daunting when we opened up the package--since there are a lot of pieces. But, it is possible to do it! My husband put it together over two days. For, the great price, that is expected to have to do the legwork of assembly. If you don't want to spend the time to assemble, then you're looking at paying over double for a comparable play set. For us, it was worth it to put in our labor so we could afford such a great looking set. In the directions it recommends tightening the bolts once a month. We haven't done that yet, but I would recommend at least tightening them a couple times a year if you want your playset to remain sturdy for the long run. We also plan on buying some second hand pots and pans and hanging them up by the bench area so they can have a play kitchen.