Your '99 story makes me wonder, how often do you actually end up covering that test cost yourself? Do clients ever fight you on it, or do they usually fold when you explain the liability?

Yeah, herbs need way less water than cut flowers.

How bad was the cleanup after that explosion? Did Dave have to use anything special to get the stickiness off the floor?

Check the lighting where you hung the mural. Sunlight and bulbs can wash out colors or make pixelation stand out even more. I had a photo blow up that looked fine in the store but terrible at home under my LEDs. Digital files often don't have the right color setup for big prints, so they lose detail. You might fix it by adjusting the room lights or using a matte finish to hide flaws. Sometimes the problem isn't just the print but how you see it every day.

Ugh, big red flag. It sets a bad tone from the start. A real client with a budget will pay for a small, defined test project. Your portfolio should show your worth, not free labor. I'd just walk away.