Assembly was fairly simple and completed in about 30 minutes. You'll need 2 13 MM wrenches or 1/2 inch wrench. I was missing a bolt which I expected after reading other reviews. The stairs are solid but you should expect some wiggle in the handles although it don't think it'll make a difference in use. They include little screws to attach to a dock but I wouldn't trust those. Go with lags. I'll know more once we get it in the water but overall it should work for your needs.