Overall, I give this kit five stars. My kit was the traditional style, 16x16, freestanding version. First of all, when I placed the order I had to sign documentation that their record of my order corresponded to what I thought I ordered. That was impressive. Second, my estimated delivery was one month, and they beat that by two weeks. The kit itself arrived in perfect condition. I was immediately impressed by the weight of the pieces. Fortunately, the aluminum structural cores could be easily slipped out of the vinyl covers to make handling of the pieces easier. The aluminum structural cores are very stout, and the vinyl covers are impressively thick. All of the pieces fit together perfectly. You need a good impact socket drill/driver to drive the self-tapping connecting bolts into the aluminum structural material. The instructional videos are very good, however, bear in mind that the videos are based on mock-ups that are at floor level. The bulk of your pergola assembly will be 8 to 10 feet off the ground. That makes a big difference! Also, It is a 2 man job. I managed it solo, but I knew how to rig block and tackle, etc. I strongly recommend that you do not try it solo. Find a friend, or hire an assembler. The final assembled pergola is beautiful. I could not be happier.
