Hi Botched,
Let me put it this way. There is no such thing as a perfect finish. If thats what you expect you'll never be satisfied. All surfaces and finishes can be scratched, damaged and will wear out over time. Obviously if you put it away in the closet it'll last longer than if you leave it out in the rain. The performance of the finish is a direct result of the abuse its exposed to. Generally speaking I think Chrome is probably the hardest finish (and the most expensive) you'll find. You'll get what you pay for!
I'll try to address your concerns 1 at a time.
1) Blasting - The least aggressive way to remove a prior finish is chemically. Abrasive blasting is just that abrasive. There are numerous types of blast media. The hardness of the media, the grit size and the blast pressure all effect the surface. The more aggressive the blast the faster the removal (including metal material). Talk to several blasters and ask them what they think.
2) Preperation - You need to remove all items that won't be coated or parts that can't take the heat before you strip or blast it. Once its stripped to bare metal you'll have to get it coated ASAP.
3) Facility - Don't worry about things like climate controlled environments that too intense. Go look around at the coaters operation. If they're a serious coater they'll have some serious equipment. Ask the person to show you around and explain the process. I'd have more confidence with someone who was excited to show me and proud of their operation. If they have no time or can't be bothered I'd move on.
4) Experience - Buttons, brackets, bottles or bicycles it shouldn't matter. Ask if they've done bicycle frames before and do they have any suggestions or concerns. Ask how they treat different metals like steel, aluminum, magnesium.
5) Paint Type - Usually a single layer or application of powder is all you need. If you get into translucent colors, some metallics, multiple colors or other custom colors or designs It'll get expensive. Ask the coater to explain the difference between interior and exterior grade powders. You don't need to know chemical composition just that the coater would chose an exterior grade or "super durable" grade powder. Keep it simple!!

While liquid paint is easier to customize a powder coat finish is far more durable.
I hope I answered your concerns.