We bought this pergola a year ago and love it. We actually bought two of them and they were very easy to connect into one giant pergola with just a few extra leftover pieces. It is very sturdy and has held up well through a Midwest winter and rainy spring. We installed our own shade sails under the pergola for added shade and it is great. Highly recommend this product. It was not difficult to put together, instructions were clear and easy to follow. My husband and I put up two pergolas slowly over 2-3 weekends, but you could do it all in one weekend if you wanted to.