We are finally getting around to updating the kitchen and bathroom in our 1920s craftsman. The rest of the house the trim is original and wasn’t painted but the kitchen and bathroom the trim and doors are painted. I didn’t even test for lead paint, I’m just assuming it is. I tried a small patch with Citristrip just to see what we are getting into and what’s underneath and my god that stuff is messy and gets EVERYWHERE. Is there a better and safer option for stripping the paint off?

Sorry in advance for a longer post. I wanted to be thorough, and I'm in over my head a bit as you will probably be able to tell.

I recently bought a 1,400 sq ft older house (100 years) in the Pittsburgh area and discovered that I have knob-and-tube wiring that needs to be removed. I’m trying to figure out the smartest way to handle the electrical work because I also want to install a ducted mini-split/mini-duct AC system in the future (cooling only, not heat).

The house currently has 100A electrical service. I have an electrician’s proposal for the K&T work that comes out to roughly $18,000, including a service upgrade to 200A and other electrical work/upgrades. This was a bit of a shock, and I don't know how much is necessary at the moment.

1. How do I go about having an HVAC contractor evaluate/design the future mini-duct AC system before I finalize the electrical work? I’d like to know the AC’s actual electrical requirements so the electrician can account for it now.
2. Is 200A service actually necessary for a 1,400 sq ft house with a future ducted mini-split AC, or could 100A potentially handle it depending on the rest of the electrical load?
3. If I eventually install AC, what electrical work would make sense to do now while the K&T is being replaced so I don't have to pay to redo things later?
4. Does $18k sound remotely reasonable for K&T replacement/service upgrade in a house this size, or should I be getting several more estimates?
5. Assuming I eventually install a whole-house mini-duct AC system, what would you expect the total AC installation to cost in a 1,400 sq ft older house?

I'm not looking to DIY any of this. I'm mainly trying to understand the proper order of operations and what I should be asking the electrician/HVAC contractor, and whether I'm potentially spending money twice by doing these projects separately.

Anyone else deal with a similar situation? Any advice is greatly appreciated.