I have everything you are planning for at my place, with a few exceptions. I have larger circuits for wall oven and cooktop, smaller water heater, much larger heating system (geothermal), and two outbuildings with 100 amp subpanels. I get by fine with 200 amp service. If the number of circuits is an issue, and you can't find a panel with enough spaces, subpanels are a good option. I have a 100 amp kitchen subpanel that is next to the kitchen/laundry. It's fairly full. The 200 amp main panel has lots of space left.

I'd agree that 200 amp service is fine - except for the electric water heater that alone could consume 3/4 of that capacity - that would push me to a larger service in a house with all electric appliances and a workshop.

No air conditioning?

What you should do is have a competent professional do a load analysis. You can't do that based on what you posted here.

I might size up some of the circuits. Induction cooktops are pushing 50A's these days and double wall overs might take 30A.

I don't know where your washer/dryer are in the base plans, but you need to put a dedicated 20A circuit in there for the "laundry area." (I'm confused about your "future" list). A laundry area exists even if it's not a dedicated laundry room.

But ballparking the figures on what you've indicated (I'm assuming you're not using a heat pump/electric furnace or AC) that 200A service would be fine. It was getting "de rigueur" to tell people to put monster 400A service in but things are getting more efficient these days. I've got 400A service, but frankly, it's overkill (I use gas for domestic hot water, and the heat is ground sourced heat pumps).

It is interesting that you don't show any significant load for HVAC (either A/C or heat). Do you have another heat source (oil, propane or natural gas)? Could any of your appliances run off the alternative source? For example, using a gas heating system, cooktop, water heater and dryer would significantly reduce your electrical load. Also remember that almost all lighting is now LED, so you may be able to combine several rooms together on a single lighting circuit. 20 amps goes a long way when you have all LED lights.

My guess is that 200 amp service will work fine, although you may need a main panel and a couple of sub-panels if you want to break it out into that many circuits. I have used Square D QO panels in the past and have found them to work really well. I'm sure there are other good brands.

Bruce

@dennisgli

That is kind of what I was thinking with the water heater. Four 40 amp breakers is a lot of juice. But it will only be pulling that much when its running. Still, I'd hate to be filling a bathtub and lose power through the house.

@HU-178658043

There is a possibility of adding AC later. But I live in a pretty cold climate most of the year. Right now, it feels like a waste to add AC when it would only be used like 2 months of the year. I think for now, window units will suffice.

@Ron Natalie

That is the plan when I get to that point. Right now I am just looking at prices and options. As far as I know, I have to have a pro do it anyways. I have been told that to change out your breaker box you need to have the power company disconnect and they will not reconnect until an electrician says it's safe to do so. As for upsizing, the breaker for the cooktop is already factoring for an induction. Its ony a 30" with 4 elements though. And for the oven, I will not have a need for a double. I suppose I could run thicker gauge wiring incase I change my mind in the future. That way I would only have to swap out the breaker? As for the laundry room, there isnt one technically at this point. The dryer is on a seperate circuit, but the washer is plugged into the regular outlets. That outlet is shared by a bedroom and is in a closet. I will be adding on an addition to the house and in the addition creating a dedicated laundry room. The heat is forced air gas furnace. So the only load there is the blower.

@Bruce in Northern Virginia

No I do not have another heat source. But I am on a forced air gas furnace. Not a ton of draw from that. No AC in the plans at the moment. As to alternative fuel sources, I am trying to get away from gas as much as possible, with future plans on adding solar. The current range is gas, but I want to switch to electric so I can do an induction cooktop and electric wall oven. The water heater is currently a tank and is electric. I want to us the tankless, that is why it is such a monster draw. Being in such a cold climate area, I wanted to make sure I would have enough to run 2 showers in the winter, and maybe the dishwasher. I am also going to redo all the lights in the house, and they will all pretty much be recessed can lights with LED bulbs. I realize I can combine several of the rooms (I think I read you can do up to 30 fixtures on one circuit?) but I would like to keep them seperate if possible. I like the idea that if lights go out in my bedroom, I don't have to walk though an entire dark house to get them back on. Still, with LED the draw would be minimal and the chances of tripping a breaker is pretty small. I will definately think on that. But you are suggesting combining several rooms on a 20a breaker instead of a 15? Is there a limit to the number of lights each can support? I was looking at the SquareD QO on homedepots site. It has 60 slots, which should be sufficient. Not sure why they sell it in 3 pieces though. You have to get the box, the trim, and the door all separate.

Yes, you can always put heavier wire in and a smaller breaker. Also, unless the manufacturer mandates a smaller breaker, you can always put a larger one (provided the wiring has the appropriate ampacity).

As for the Washer and Dryer, it makes no difference where you plug your washer in. However, in an area that has a washer/dryer is a laundry area. Iit is required to have at least one receptacle fed by a 20A circuit with no other outlets (lights or other areas). It again makes no difference whether this is a dedicated laundry room or a closet, hallway, basement, whatever that happens to have your washer and dryer in it. It's not about the washer actually. My sense is that they figure you're going to plug an Iron in near where you're doing your laundry.

You say you don't need AC because you live in a cold climate. I thought the same thing when I built my new house in northern NY but the last few summers have had days when it's over 100F (it's been in the upper 90s already this year). Yes, I can live with it (fortunately nights are cool), but if I were you, I would reconsider AC.

If your gas service has the capacity I'd switch to a gas water heater - particularly if you are in a cold climate. And then stick with the 200 amp service.

Indeed you have alot of circuits but dont be concerned with the quantity nor the total of all the beaker amps added. example being those 4 water heater @ 40 A will only draw initiaily at startup and would probably never all run together ever again. The suggestion that induction cooking draws alot is incorrect as it is extremely efficient and draws uses much less energy than a conventional cooktop (just look as the amp rating)

youll likely need two panels for the breaker space. The unknown factor you havent detailed is whats going on in those outbuilings. If they sre for blown woodworking shops lets say, then all bets are off. At that point you might consider just bringing in a separate service to the outbuidings. Its done all the time at would be less costly. Just food for thought.

• At that point you might consider just bringing in a separate service to the outbuidings.

Outbuildings? I'm not seeing any outbuildings here other than a new attached garage with "table saw/wood working tools". Not that I think this is a major concern.

• those 4 water heater @ 40 A will only draw initiaily at startup and would probably never all run together ever again

...until you turn a hot water faucet on full blast in the middle of winter and you are cooking dinner, drying clothes... ! I think that is the big concern here with going with a 200 amp service.

My apologies. I was thinking of another project I was helping someone with. It had two garages calling for 100A services each.

It sounds to me like my best option is to just go with a gas water heater,since I need such high output because of my climate. That would take the biggest draw off of my electrical system and allow me to up size other circuits, like the cooktop, in case of future upgraded or possibly adding AC later. I had hoped to get on mostly electric with the intent of adding solar later. But I guess having the furnace and water heater on gas will have to suffice.

If you're going to use tankless, gas is the way to go. The electric tanklesses use a lot of current. On a tanked water heater, you might be better recovery time with an electric heater. Gas may still be cheaper in the long run.

Do you have (natural) gas?

I don't. I've got a 1000 gallon propane tank that feeds the two rinnai tankless, the cooktop in the auxilliary kitchen, my grill, two gas fireplaces, fire startersr in two other ones, and the 80KVA generator.

@mtvhike

Yes, I have natural gas service to the house. Currently it supplies the furnace and also the oven. I will be switching the oven to induction so I think I could faily easily have the reroute that line to the water heater. Obviously I would probably have to upgade the line. I think it is currently a half inch pipe, so I would need to upsize to 3/4" or 1" I think.