Service-Upgrade-Avoidance Decision Tree

Walk a residential or small-commercial electrification job — heat-pump retrofit, kitchen remodel with a new electric range or induction cooktop, heat-pump water heater, BESS retrofit, FPE/Zinsco panel-replacement-only, ADU sub-feed, or pool/spa equipment — through a **structured service-upgrade-avoidance check** before anyone quotes a $4,000–$24,000 service upgrade. The check produces a one-page decision memo the homeowner (and the contractor) can sign onto, showing which of three paths is the honest answer for the job: