You said this is your first and you haven't had him long. How can you determine that?
OP, I have two T8's. They are PVC cages. I have it divided down the middle so I can house one snake on either side. I also have lights and radiant heat panels on either side and a lock. Altogether each one has cost me a little under 400 each. The advantage is it looks nice and keeps heat and humidity right with no effort. The other options are tubs that don't look nice or a tank that looks nice but requires constant work to maintain.