wrh117, you didn't say how long you have been flying r/c planes. If you already have a good amount of experience flying arfs then you already know how to set up servos, pushrods, install an engine and do basic repairs and maintenance, maybe some covering. Graduating from this stage to building is not such a big step. You will already know about things like the importance of overall weight, recognizing high stress areas in an airframe and where to look for potential weaknesses in a structure like the firewall, wing joint, etc. All this you will have learned from flying (and crashing) arfs.

If you don't already have that level of knowledge about r/c planes, then you will want to choose a kit that walks you through and explains the do's and don'ts of model planes. Or, at least have an experienced builder spot check your work as you progress through the kit. There's nothing difficult about glueing balsa wood together. The hard part is not knowing the things that experience brings, like installing pushrods before you cover, or planning ahead about where to put the servos, etc. With advanced kits you have to be able to visualize the finished product as you build and plan ahead for subsequent steps, since the manufacturer typically assumes that you have a certain level of experience doing this.