The gazebo was shipped to me via a trucking company on a single pallet. The shipping was efficient, the driver was friendly and it arrived quickly. The boxes are extremely heavy. You will need two people to unpack everything properly. All parts were intact and in great condition. Start by going over the whole manual prior to starting to give yourself an overview. A few things to note of importance: There are several ways of putting these parts together and the manual does NOT do a good job of highlighting things to be aware of. They have exploded views of assembly, pay attention to these since they do highlight how things should be assembled...assume nothing otherwise you will be taking it apart and re-assembling it again to make up for something overlooked. Two people are required, as is a step ladder to get the roof on. My wife and I completed it in two sessions, about 10 hours total.