The package was a little damaged during shipping. One of the main side boards was damaged with a vertical split down the middle. Had to be glued and sanded before assembly. I am woman of small build - but I was able to assemble the door by myself. In preparation, you should plan to have a good amount of space to assemble the door. Tools I needed: saw horse, rubber hammer, drill, circular sander (or hand held sandpaper), and screwdriver. May need extra tools should the wood panels arrive warped or damaged. In all, it was fun to put together. I painted it after sanding, looks great. It comes with a sturdy metal pull handle that attaches to a flat pull-plate with an indented notch for the other side of the door. No need to route a niche in the wood for a recessed door pull.