It is DEFINITELY easier than basting. Takes me about 1/2 hour to 1 hour to load a quilt - but it's not done crawling around on the floor so it is much easier than basting.
However, consider the size of the machine/setup. I know you said moving to a large sewing room, but how much larger? I would need 16x8' JUST for the longarm, and no room to do anything else in there. The 8' is pretty standard for a longarm machine I think (mine is an 18" Avante - a larger machine would need even more space front to back). The 14' is a bit negotiable - you need the size of your table plus a couple of feet on each end to get around it. Tables seems to come in 5', 8', 10', or 12' - but it depends on the manufacturer which sizes you can get (the avante is 8 or 12). My machine is in my basement, and there is no room in my house other than that which it would fit in unless it was the only thing in there.
I probably wouldn't buy a frame for a domestic machine. I tried that briefly and the small throat really restricts what you can do. Imagine your largest quilt, all rolled up on a bar of some size and stuffed through the throat - how much room would you have to actually quilt?
Look in Canada for a machine - avoid the import taxes. There are several longarm dealers in Ottawa - only 2 hours from you. I can give you some specific names if you are interested - PM me if you like.