I have several concerns/comments:

1) $35 an hour??????? How does this "electrician" feed his family. He is obviously NOT a real contractor. Does he have insurance? A license?

2) He is "unwilling" to do some of the "small stuff"??? Is he kidding? WHY NOT?? He is there anyway.

3) If your service capacity is enough he is probably right about the sub-panel.

4) Guy #2, a sub-panel is not code compliant???? I'd sure love to see what code he is using to justify this myth.

5) 150A service??? NO ONE installs 150A services any more. There is simply no reason to. To cost difference to 200A is negligible.

6 While we're on cost, $1200 for a 150A service replacement??? Again, these guys are living in the 90's. I was getting $1200 for 200A TEN years ago.
The cost of living must be nothing in your area.

I like the sounds of #1, especially his price. Does he have a physical problem that prevents him from doing the stairwell fixture? Is he afraid of heights or a ladder? If his work is to code and you have references, I'd pick him.

#2 and the non-compliant subpanel sounds very fishy.

I would be very leery of an "electrician" that only charges $35/hr. No insurance, no license are the first things that come to mind. Does he plan to pull a permit?

The second guy sounds better. I would ask about the no subpanel though... my guess is you don't have a main disconnect for the existing panel, or the existing service wires are too small to support more circuits, either of which would rule out a subpanel. Also, tell him you want a 200A service. The prices he gave are reasonable, if not a little low, but that may just be your location.

Thank you for your responses!

The cost of living in my Midwestern metro area is relatively high, though certainly not on par with coastal cities.

It is possible electrician #1 is giving me some kind of discount because he is a friend of my dad's. He is licensed and insured. He is retired from a union job, so I think he just sort of picks and chooses the jobs he wants and doesn't do anything he doesn't feel like doing. I was irritated about the trench and the light fixture because I have no idea how to do either one of those things, and do not know who else to call to do them. (DH can easily change a regular light fixture, but he is gone all the time, and does not have the proper equipment to change a fixture that high up.) He seems like a good guy, and I actually fully intended to hire him until I realized that the HVAC/plumbing people also offered electrical.

Electrician #2 appealed to me because although I was not planning to spend that much on electrical, I love the idea of just getting it all done, so I don't have to think about anything. But as you all pointed out, he was incorrect about the subpanel issue, which I find kind of alarming. Was he just trying to get me to schedule more expensive work, or does he not know that a subpanel is an option? I also wondered about his intention to install 150A service; since I had read that the standard now is 200A. Glad you pointed that out. He is on vacation this week, but I might be able to ask someone else at the company about it.

I cannot wait for all this to be over!

On the subpanel issue... I (a licensed electrician) would not install a subpanel off of the existing panel if any of these conditions existed: (1) if the existing panel does not have a disconnect, either in that panel or at the meter; (2) if the wires feeding the existing panel are already undersized; or (3) if the existing panel is already a subpanel but is incorrectly wired with only three wires.

I still haven't been able to come to a decision about this service change. We had a 3rd electrician out who told us that we don't need more than 100A service.

FYI, we are planning a major addition (new kitchen & baths, extra bedroom, more living area, etc.) within 3-5 years. I am thinking that we will have to redo all electrical at that point anyway, so maybe it makes sense to just upgrade our panel now and change the service later?

Also, Elec. #2 described above told me that he reviewed the code and he can put in a subpanel, but it would have to be a 100A subpanel, and since we only have a 100A panel right now, we would need to upgrade to 200A service to do a subpanel.

This is so confusing. I can't understand why we get such conflicting information from equally trained and experienced electricians.

Right now I am considering the following estimates:

-Remove and replace the existing panel with a Square D QO 100-amp 30-circuit main breaker electrical panel. Labor & Material $479.00

-Install an 8/16 Square D QO electrical sub-panel below the existing panel. Rework circuits and GFCI as required. Labor & Material $347.00

-150A Service Change Labor & Material $1250

I would really appreciate any additional guidance...thank you!

Never upgrade a service to 150 A. Go for 200 as the cost shouldn't be a lot more and you are covered for much more future expansion.

Will the location of the panel be suitable when you put on the addition? (the wall still an outside wall?) If so, upgrade it to 200 A and be done with that part. Or will it make a good subpanel with a new main panel in the addition? Then do whatever upgrade is necessary to that panel but don't do the service change yet.

"Also, Elec. #2 described above told me that he reviewed the code and he can put in a subpanel, but it would have to be a 100A subpanel, and since we only have a 100A panel right now, we would need to upgrade to 200A service to do a subpanel."

Wrong again!

"This is so confusing. I can't understand why we get such conflicting information from equally trained and experienced electricians."

They are obviously NOT all "equally trained and experienced".

I think your estimates are all quite reasonable. I am also in agreement; go 200A not 150A for new service. If you can afford the service upgrade now I'd do it. Prices will only be going up in the future with oil out of control.

200Amp would be the way to go when you upgrade the service. I know from my own experiences that other people I work with have no clue what the code is because they either A)have never dealt with it or B) it's been some time since and does not remember. Also a few of the guys will give a higher number because they don't want the job & if the person agrees to it they laugh because they've "duped" someone into their higher price. That drives me nuts and I tell them refuse the work and don't even give a quote if you don't want to do the work.

In Canada the code allows you to run 80% of your capacity. So if you were looking at putting a compressor in which is a continuous load then I would look at running it off a sub panel (I take it the compressor is in the garage) just for the garage. Depending on the draw of the compressor I typically run a 60Amp out to the garage and run all my circuits from there.

If you are looking at putting in a new panel and not upgrading yet - look for a panel that is rated for 200Amp. The service can be updated at a later date.

When I first got into side jobs I charged $35-45 an hour + material costs for my work. I claimed all the income I made . I now charge more as my experiences have built and I've always warranted the work done and insurance costs. People tell me my prices are low but then again I'm keeping busy and they aren't. I've also quoted entire jobs so no matter how long it takes it's the same price which CAN be very beneficial to someone if the time estimate goes over they aren't getting per hour charge.

$479 for a Panel change out with square D QO breakers for $479!!! I thought I was cheap charging people $750 to swap to a new Siemens panel. QO's arn't cheap.