I had the prepunched skins. I've built just about everything under the sun, but no plane either. Unless you have somebody in your area that you can consult with that already has building experience with metal planes--even better if they have done a Van's aircraft-- then I think you?re going to be spending forever scratching your head, wondering what you?re doing is right or not. I certainly did, and eventually sold my kits. It turned out what little I had done was just fine, but gosh, I was so slow. For a first time builder an EAA chapter would be the way to go.
If you do have somebody else that's done this, then great. It's very basic skills, but still, it just helps to speed things up considerably, and it?s nice to have the go ahead and nod from somebody that is looking over your shoulder that has been there before. The plans are okay, but I've been told by other builders, they are considerably improved on some of his other kits.
I bought an RV already flying. If I were to consider building again, I will next time listen to those that kept trying to pound it in my head to go with a QB kit which the 4's still don't have that option, but plenty of Van's aircraft do. If money is also driving your decision, just save up for another year or so for that QB. Or as another stated, find one already flying. You can find them a bit cheaper right now than the cost of building one.