I only say that I would not recommend this to a friend because I don't usually recommend anything to friends unless they ask. :) I think there should be a Maybe option to this question. This is pressed board and I found it simple to put together, but I am an experienced do-it-yourselfer. The instructions may be a bit difficult for many folks who have not assembled a complex piece like this to understand. It's also a bit unwieldy for one person to assemble, so two would probably be easiest.
I needed it for a spare bedroom/office and I didn't care what it looked like because I used a daybed cover that covers the platform anyway.
My main concern is that all of the drawer sliders and other hardware are plastic. The drawer handles are a hard plastic and as I was installing them they practically disintegrated. That said, those are easy to replace and I think that for it's intended use for me, it was a fine and inexpensive option - especially with the coupon/discounts I had.