Long arms are expensive. It may not pay off in the long run. Some people make 5-10 quilts in a month but are they attractive? Or are the blocks so large that it takes away the quilt charm.
I am going to start with a small quilt , turn the machine around put it on free motion and practice that way. It may be my replacement for a longarm. But for big quilts, I will hire out. I don't plan to make many large quilts. Too much work!
Check out the LAQ work and get recommendations before you hire out. Some have quilts on display at quilt shows and you can see what type of work they did.