FIY...When you receive you box. Let it lay flat (it is particle board After all) at room temperature for at least 12 hours prior to assembly!!! Do not prop or lean the box on something. The wood will warp...This T.V. stand/fireplace had taken 1-1.5 hours for my 15 year old son and I to assemble. I am pretty handy and he was a great help. The majority of the assembly is fairly easy (having your own bottle of elmers or similar wood glue will go a long way in building a solid piece that will last). As for others claims that it is nearly impossible to install the screws on the back of the fireplace...TRUE! After several trips to the garage to find a better screwdriver or a longer tool. I decided to place a strong magnet on the side of my screw driver to help keep the screw head on the end of the driver. This worked well but still gave me a struggle to apply enough pressure to get the screw started into the wood. I think that if you purchased an 8"-12" magnetic, Phillips head bit for your drill or nut driver, this project would not be as frustrating! After assembly we were happy with the results. The unit looks quite nice. The 1400 watt fireplace puts off ample heat if needed (very quiet, but the fan only has one LOW speed setting). The separately switched L.E.D. backlit flame, puts off an unromantic electric glow. But, for the cheap price that I paid. This T.V. stand will look very nice in my apartment (moving away from my home and family for work relocation). Things to consider...the overall height of this unit may be lower than expected compared to other units. Also, the color of this unit is different than most other Sauder type furniture and may be hard to match with other wood pieces. Overall, happy with our purchase.