I've never sent one out for quilting. I tied them or did a quilt as you go method before getting my machine quilting frame.
I love the design process, choosing fabrics, piecing the blocks, assembling the top and putting the binding on.
I usually enjoy the math of figuring out quilt sizes, blocks & pieced backing if I don't get interrupted too often.
Pressing & starching are kind of mind-numbing but I don't really enjoy or hate it. It's kind of an auto pilot thing--do it and move on.
I don't like cutting very much so I usually do it in stages--cut some, piece some, cut some more, piece some more, etc.
I hate cutting the pieces out for piecing the backs even though I enjoy the math to figure out how to do it. Making those long, straight (hopefully) cuts is nerve wracking.
Wrestling with a large quilt when turning the corners while binding is a pain as is trimming the batting. Loading it all on the frame is also an unpleasant task because of the posture to pin it all on. I have shoulder & neck problems so these steps wear me out.
Hand sewing the binding is also painful so I quit doing that. I enjoy it but my shoulder doesn't. I would still do it if I were for a special quilt but most of mine are made to use & abuse.