We built the pergola and it is sturdy a beautiful. It's no ones fault but my own but it isn't as big as I was wanting, it measures from the widest spot which isn't the post. It also didn't give me as much shade as I was hoping for. I added a sun shade to the top and curtains to the sides and I am going to make it work. It does add beauty to the patio.

5 out of 5Ease of installationFebruary 26, 2016 OldManPa ,French Lick, IN Ownership:6 months to 1 year Usage:Every day Would you recommend this product? Yes Quality: 5 out of 5 Value: 5 out of 5 My wife wanted a pergola to shade our bedroom and we finally found one that worked for us. I surprised her by putting up in and 2 days by myself while she was out of town.

Altogether a good product. We put it up Christmas Day and Boxing Day, with some help from my brother who was visiting. There were some boards that were a bit warped but it wasn't enough to keep it from going together. We did need to re-drill a few holes that didn't line up properly, but we had tools so it wasn't a problem. AND they included extra hardware of every kind, which we didn't actually need with this kit but have with others (which can be a real nuisance). The least satisfactory issue was the freight company, Estes Freight. It sat in the Phoenix warehouse for a week before they got it out to us, and no-one there would answer the phone or return our calls.

5 out of 5 Very Pleased! February 15, 2016 Moturkeyhunter , Springfield, MO, USA Ownership:more than 1 year Usage:Every day Would you recommend this product? Yes Quality: 5 out of 5 Value: 4 out of 5 Read all instructions before assembling. Its a 2 person job and a third comes in handy when sides go up. Applying coat of stain is easier before assembly. Instructions were easy to follow. Looks great.

The pergola is well thought through in terms of its design. Each part is marked, the hardware comes in labeled bags. The accompanying BILT program makes it very easy to visualize. One improvement would be a diagram showing the exact center locations of the four posts.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I bought this in July and assembled it myself with my son over several weekends. we did have a few few issues like the concrete anchor, bolts snapped they appear to be made out of aluminum and should be made out of steel. Some of the pilot holes for the purlins did not lineup so we created our own pilot holes. But overall it’s wonderful. I enjoy sitting out in the evenings with shade and coffee on the weekend mornings.

I am a 50 year old woman and I was able to put this up myself. I had my 20 year old daughter help me with lifting the assembled pieces to the top of the pergola while I attached them. All the parts were included and I had no problems with hardware or alignment. It was very easy to assemble because I planned ahead, had the right tools and patience. I assembled it in 8 hours on day 1, I anchored it to the concrete on day 2.

Took my wife and I about 4 hours. Instructions are easy to follow. I was truly impressed with the way it went together. All the pre-drilled holes lined up perfectly. It looks great too. I can’t express how well “machined” all of the parts were. Sometimes, assemblies can be frustrating. Not this one. It was actually enjoyable, to some degree. We are happy with it. Hopefully, it holds up through the seasons.

We hit a few snags in assembly but it's pretty obvious when the instructions are missing a step (for example, when the diagonal braces need to be screwed in using a drill, which isn't listed as a step). The final product is gorgeous and looks much more expensive than it was.

Kit is well thought out. The wood is not so good. I have had some punkie spots in the legs and there is signs of cracking now starting to show up after one winter season here in Michigan. Over all its ok but I don't know how long it will last. To bad the wood is not from North America.