Our 3yo loves this playset! He has not stopped wanting to play on it since it was built. It was a pretty smooth build and yes it is labor intensive but it is well worth it! I recommend sorting all the parts when they arrive and most importantly USE THE BILT APP!! It has 3D images of the step by step process and it is a must have in addition to the paper instructions that can be somewhat difficult to understand on some steps. All in all this is a fantastic playset that is very sturdy and appears to be able to stand the test of time.