Science labs and modded tech tree

[HeliosPh0enix]

I’m playing a heavily modded career mode game using the community tech tree with the full Near Future suite, so we he tech tree ends with nodes worth ~5000 science or so. I’m currently at the point where I have completed most of the nodes before upgrading R&D to level 3, so everything under 500 science points per node. I also have OPM and DMagic Orbital Science installed, so I have a good amount of science sources available  

I don’t have a good feel for how difficult it is to get the rest of the science required to finish the tech tree, and am wondering how much I should use science labs on my science data. I just sent a big mission to Eve that includes a lab, but I am worried that processing all of the science through the lab will net me too many science points and lead to me completing the tech tree before I have had the opportunity to go to many planets. 
 

Does anyone have any insight into roughly how many planets worth of science are required to complete the extended tech tree, and if it would be satisfying to have some moderate use of the science lab? I usually avoid using them in vanilla playthroughs because I don’t enjoy have the entire tech tree unlocked without leaving Kerbin’s SOI, and I am trying to avoid a similar predicament. Thank you!

[Aelfhe1m]

There's a lot of variables involved, but since you have OPM and DMOS there's going to be a huge amount of potential science from outer planet probe missions. The more distant planets and moons have large multipliers compared to nearer planets and moons.

Usually if I have a large number of added science experiments available I greatly nerf the labs. I would still include a lab on all long range manned science missions even if only for role play purposes.