My cheap window phase was a short, expensive lesson.

Prep work is the whole game" feels a bit extreme to me. For a garage floor, sure, you can't skip etching or grinding. But for plenty of other jobs, like painting a wall, a quick sand and wipe down is often all the prep you really need. Calling it the whole game makes it sound like nothing else matters, when picking the right paint matters a ton too.

Totally get that feeling of finding something unexpected. I once pulled a panel and a whole family of mice had made a home out of shredded insulation. It makes you realize how fast nature moves in when we leave an opening. Now I treat every cover or cap like it's the front door to my own house, you just can't leave it unlocked. It's crazy how a simple forgotten piece can turn into a major problem so fast.

Remember @the_hannah's buddy? Same thing.

Yeah, @elliotr98 gets it. Never go under 15mm up here.