Buying a new piece of furniture is a substantial decision, so I searched long and hard and read lots of reviews. For my price range (ideally no more than $150), this is a huge, elaborate cat tree, by far beating out anything available in pet stores or their online shops. At one time or another I had plenty of concerns, based on the reviews. I can tell you right now that all my concerns were alleviated the moment it came out of the box.This goes without saying, but this is a very tall cat tree, so make sure you have room for it. The box is heavy (70lbs), so be careful lifting it.While individual parts aren't labeled, the instructions are as clear as they need to be, and one need only lay all the posts, bolts, screws, and platforms out side by side to see what needs to go where. Construction took my father and me no more than an hour, even as we paused when the oldest of my three cats (4 years old) jumped up to explore while we were still putting it together. (My two rambunctious kittens, 8 months old, were shut in my bedroom during construction. Otherwise it would have taken twice as long!)Construction is very easy and simple, with the only minor issue being the way the ramps connect to the underside of the platforms. It's not even a real problem per se, but you might need to put the screws in at an odd angle because the brackets won't entirely align with the pre-cut holes.I'd be surprised if your cats don't love it, because I know mine do. As I said, my 4-year old cat was all over it before we even finished construction. And once the kittens were allowed to explore... Well, suffice to say that even on the very first day it was put together, my dears spent more time on and around it than not!It does not detract from the strong reasons you have to buy this for your home, but I will note that the strings by which the mice are attached to the platforms will not last more than a couple hours at most. That's not a big deal though: That's just the natural order of things when cats play. And you can easily purchase mice and better strings to replace them.Long story short: I would consider this an essential purchase. This is more elaborate and nicer-looking than other cat trees that cost twice as much, and the materials from which it is made are as solid as any competition. Construction is easy, and your cats will love it. Don't be discouraged by the caveats you see in reviews. Once you see this in action, you'll be glad you made this choice for you and your family :-)