The trampoline came in two large, extremely heavy (over a hundred pounds each) boxes. From that point on this became a project last lasted several days to set up. The elements worked against us, we have had a lot of rain. With that said I would estimate the time to actually assemble the trampoline would take 2 people a good 5-6 hours. The instructions were easy to follow, we laid out all the pieces and checked to make sure we had everything before we began assembly. It seemed overwhelming, but following the manual, everything fit into place perfectly. Thankfully they included a spring pulling tool to use with the assembly.The basketball hoops were probably the most agonizing, but that was at the end and we really just wanted to be done. But they got assembled, and we have 6 happy grand children. Of course the children love it, because of the rain, there hasn’t been a lot of dry time yet. For me it’s all about safety. I love the padding. The poles are padded, the springs are covered with padding. This is not a lightweight padding, and I appreciate that Jump King added the extra safety features. The springs are still very firm, so the kids have to work for their bounce. The trampoline is not recommended for children under 6, and has a weight limit of 200 pounds. We do not allow more than 2 people in the trampoline at a time. The 2 separate jumping areas are great because they do not fall in the middle. I believe the hardware is truly top of the line for durability, and safety. The frame, springs, and poles are all galvanized to prevent rusting. So for durability I believe this trampoline is going to last a long time.