"ls02" wrote in message
...
I am building an addition to my house and thought of upgrading my 150
A service and panel to 200 A. However after weighing the cost (upward
of $1500 in my area) and benefit I started having second thoughts. My
150 A service and panel are relatively new, 8 years old.

The house after addition is completed will be around 3500 sf plus
finished basement.

I have gas oven, gas furnace, gas water heater and gas dryer in my
house. I have a workshop with 50 A sub panel, I will have second
central A/C installed, the sauna with heater and potentially steam
shower. Both central A/C use 40 A breakers @ 220V (the second , sauna
heater will draw max 25A @ 220 V and the steam generator will draw 35
A @ 220 V. Besides this I do not have anything special from electric
load perspective.

Is 150 A service and panel enough to service my load or I really need
200 A upgrade?

First, I'd say that the existing 150 amp service you have, was a mistake.
There is such an insignificant price difference between a 150 and 200 amp
service, there shouldn't even be a 150 amp. Having said that, both my dad
and I have 150 amp services at our houses, and we're both licensed
electrical contractors. NO, we didn't install them, they came with our
houses. However, in both our situations, the 150 amp is perfectly adequate
for the size of the houses and our load demands. Eventually, I will replace
mine out of sheer embarrassment.

In your situation, the 150 is probably adequate as well. Those heavy loads,
the A\C and steam generators, and sauna are cycling on and off, and except
for the A\C are used for only short periods of time. There certainly is no
reason to go for the 200 at this time. I would connect all the new stuff to
the existing service, and only replace it if you find the need.