Mugsy,
here are my two cents on the panel upgrade. I have been through a number of additions, doing a good part of the work myself. There are a number of ways of making incremental improvements in the electrical, to give you just what you need. However, the process usually repeats and you are usually better off to go to the ultimate configuration right away. I say this because some people think that the contractor is just trying to sell them something they don't need, when they suggest a service upgrade.
