Always ask questions about how much fabric they require on the sides of the quilt, how much bigger the batting and back should be. Each one has different rules.

I send the top and back separate, sometimes I send batting if I have it- if not she has it. The backing needs to be bigger on all sides 4-6 inches. I have a pretty easy going longarmer.....and reasonable. I wish I had the skill to do them myself, but I am not going to crunch a king sized quilt into my itty bitty head in my sewing machine. My longarmer charges per inch and also for thread which is separate. If I want a special pattern sometimes some of them increase the cost as well. She will also trim when she is done and put on binding for additional $$.

My quilting skills are not always great. After all I have quilted they should be. I make my quilts start to finish so I can say I made them all myself.

My long armer likes four inches longer and four inches wider for the backing. I bring my own batting as I change the batting according to the climate where I'm sending the quilt. My new favorite is Hobbs wool and cotton. It quilts up beautiful.

,I just send the tops she does the rest

I have never layered or basted a quilt I am sending out to a LAQ. The ones I have worked with want to do it themselves. Definitely talk to the LAQ you are going to use.