Honestly, tell when the feeling isn't the main point of the scene.

Marking the lath strips first is such a smart move. I used a small rare earth magnet on a string to find the nails in the lath when my stud finder was acting up. It finds them every time. Then I'd mark a whole vertical line with a pencil so I knew where the solid wood was for hanging anything heavy. It saves so much guesswork and extra holes.

Oh man, water is a total game changer... @veraj53, a month sounds about right for that kind of hunt. I keep a gallon of the cheap store-brand spring water just for my picky light roasts, it cuts out all the guesswork.