I have talked to 3+ electricians now and I am not sure of all my options to power my new shop. The work will be done by or with the help of a licensed Electrician. I have just been given a bunch of options. The shop is 2000 sq shop, with a 950 sq foot storage/attic/kids play room in the rafters.

I have a 3 inch plastic electric conduit running 160 feet from my existing house meter to the exterior wall of the new shop. The existing house meter is 225 amp panel with 2 100 amp breakers in it for 2 panels in my house.

In the shop I will have 5 dedicated 220 volts outlets for tools, two 50 amp, 2 30 amp, 1 20 amp. Plus I will have lots of lights and 110 volt plugs. I will have a panel in the utility room about 30 feet from the entrance of the wire into the shop.

Here are the option I have been given.

1)Upgrade the meter panel to 300 or 400 amps and add a new either 125 or 200 map service to the new shop. This is an expensive option and 200 amp service to the shop seems like overkill.

2) Put a 125 amp breaker in the main panel and add an sub panel next to the meter panel and run the shop and the house basement on the 125 amp breaker to a sub panel. This option seems like it would work but I run the risk of popping the 125 amp breaker and shutting down the basement and the shop.

One electrician said 60 amp service to the shop was just fine. I had 50 amp service to my previous shop, but it was 800 sq feet.

I think I am deceiding on 100 or 125 amp service to the shop. Is this overkill? With a 24 spot panel. What size and type of wire should I pull through the 3 inch conduit. SER or some type of single strand. Can I pull SER through a 3 inch pipe or will this be a real pain?

Opinion of my options are greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Ian