4x2x2 Build Anxiety

I have never built a single thing made of wood and screws and nails before, but I'm excited to undertake this building projects for my beardie. The funds are in so now all I need to do is prepare my shopping list, get the items, and get to work! Trouble is: I don't know how to plan for what I'll need when I have very little concept of construction and how to navigate a hardware store.

It's going to be a 4x2x2 and I want hinged doors that open from the front of the enclosure (like french doors). I don't know whether to have the top be aluminum mesh screen to allow for ventilation and support the basking lamp or enclose the top and fit venting on the sides/wire the basking lamp inside. The idea of wiring my own lamps makes me more nervous than the wood and screws. :?

Any advice from experienced DIYers?

https://beardies.dreamwidth.org/2145.html

Both my enclosures are based on this design, it's simple and I think has a decent shopping list. I prefer sliding doors and a solid lid. Less things to damage and the lid serves as a table.

That's usually the general design I recommend as well because it's a proven winner. If I were to make it myself I would probably move one of the side vents to the bottom (cool side) and keep the other high up (warm side) To allow for some convective airflow. With that in place I'm not sure how necessary the back vents would be without doing some testing. I would also use a T5 fixture for the UVB light instead of a T8. The T5 is much more appropriate for an enclosure of that size.

I look at the crossfire and while I like it, I really want hinged doors. I'm not sure why but sliding just bugs me. I feel I'd have a harder time reaching it all without sliding back and forth. Still nervous about the wiring, regardless of the instructions. But my father has experience building his enclosures for the snakes we have so I'll get his help working on it.

Wiring is simple but I understand your anxiety. Hopefully you can get a hand. They make fixtures and plugs that you just strip the wire and screw them together, pretty straight forward.

For me, sliding doors are easiest, but I'm pretty clunbsy. Swing out doors are easier to bang onto when they are open and for most things one door is all I need to open at a time. It's pretty easy to remove the glass for cleaning/full access and set it aside.

I don't know of any plans with swing out doors but I've seen them from time to time.

I've bumped into the open doors of my exo terra quite a bit too. If I were to build my own I'd probably go with either sliding doors or a compromise drop down front with hinges on the bottom and a lock on the top so when it's open it's dropped straight down and out of the way.