It wasn't as hard as many people said to put it together. Just lay everything out first, use a ratchet or some tool other than the one provided, and you're golden. The only trouble I ran into was the last two pieces of the back at a corner did not go together very nicely so they don't line up perfectly, but I can live with it. The sofa is very firm, but not horrible. If you're looking for a plush sofa, this isn't for you. But overall it has a very nice appearance and will work well for me.