Don’t be afraid. The water’s fine, jump on in!
First off, this is a great place to ask troubleshooting questions and general questions, but for advice on a full build you will probably get a deeper discussion on best parts for your personal requirements by starting a new thread in the DIY Builds section.
$2k is a good goal, although “future proofing” will probably directly compete with your budget. The best deals will be had around black Friday and by buying lightly used parts in the sale section. If you don’t have a lot of time and/or mechanical and electrical skills, i would seek to almost directly copy an existing build here that fits your goals. Don’t try to get creative if you’re trying to do it quickly, cheaply, or easily.
#1 piece of advice is to pick a matched enclosure and deck. (An enclosure purpose-built for a specific deck)
#2 piece of advice is to read, read, read, and read some more. It will take you months if not years to make a dent in the library of knowledge on this forum. Start now and wear out the search function. Or accept your fate as an annoying newb who doesn’t listen or take advice (they know who they are)
I’ll quote the classic advice, which you may ignore at your own peril, frustration, cost, and pain:
Welcome to the club!