I would love to make one 6 feet, but i am afraid i can't afford the space. I am figuring 1sq ft of cage floor per foot of snake, and a 4x2 allows for 8 sq ft. I will up the size to 5x2, but i just can't fit a 6 ft cage in my apartment.
as for boaphile, i have checked out their stuff as well as animal plastics, and i can make a fully loaded cage for half their prices (i based my design off of theirs). I am a carpenter by trade and making a cage will not be a big deal at all. the money i save by building my own will allow for upgrades in the tech department such as a nice thermostat and heating devices.
my design has a shelf 8 inches deep running the length of the cage to give the environment some options and personality, as well as giving her some more play space.
Thanks for the tip on the water bowl, i will redraw and move it to the cool end, my hide will be towards that end as well.
As for bedding, i will stick with aspen. I use it for my bp and i will just purchase it in bulk to accomidate both pets.