I love this desk! It was a pretty big project, but the instructions are very organized, and everything you need for each step along the way is in a separate enclosure. If you just take it one step at a time, it's a treat when you get to the end. The personal tools I needed were a phillips screwdriver (actually, I used 2: one with a long handle and one with a short handle for the actions where the long handle didn't fit), hammer, and scissors to cut open the packets. I was able to do it all by myself except for fitting the desk top flanges into the holes. I called upon a neighbor who was happy to help.