I am not an accomplished builder so most ARF's are probably better than what I could build. I am not great at covering either and every ARF I ever had was covered nicer than I could do. I still build kits in the winter just to have something to tinker with when I can't fly. Maybe someday I will be good enough at building to bash an ARF but until I can do better I will not say anything bad about them and just fly.
One thing I will say about a kit is that it is a good feeling to take a box full of wood that looks like nothing and turn it into a plane and watch it fly for the first time. I don't get that same rush from an ARF.

WCB