Hi me179 and laakDown,
Your statement regarding training in the USA, be careful, what I am about to say is not from my experience as I chose to do my CPL-ME-IR & MCC in the UK. I have seen a few people at Stapleford who trained in the USA thinking they will be quids in however the training is the USA is different for the following reasons.
I don't think they train you for a single engine NDB, as they no longer use this technology, however we do and you will have to carry out a single engine NDB approach and go around with a circle to land.
Our airspace, weather and RT is completely different so you will not be used to how things are done in the UK. Imagine this you learn to fly in Spain where you have to fill in a flight plan, are guided by radar service, the airspace is less crowded and the weather is better. Then you go and fly around Luton or Stansted where airspace is crowded, no radar guidance, visibility could be bad, lots of people on the radio trying to get a word in and you are flying in constricted airspace at 1000ft. This is just an example of how different one country is from another.
I know people who trained in the USA and spent more money then they would have doing it all in the UK because pilots are not trained in the same way out there and our IR is harder to pass.
Think of it this way - In the USA flying is like driving a car and so is the training its designed so every hobbyist can pass. Most US airlines recruit from the military or pilots progress through the ranks flight instructor, air cargo or parachute dropping then small regional, large regional and finally international airlines.
In the UK pilots are trained to be the highest standards, the IR and CPL are complex and you will need to very well prepared. Stapleford has the DA42 simulator, which is a good tool for training. I used X-Plane and a PC to practice my holds, DME Arcs and some of the routes you will be examined on. Flying the DA42 is like flying a commercial jet and it will enable you to focus on your departure, checks, hold entry RT, go around etc. The airwaves are very busy around Essex and London and it can be very hard to get a word in, which is good to experience, as you will face it when you start working.
If you want to save some money go and do you hour building in the USA or in Spain you will then understand my point on the IR.
Do your IR in the UK it is the best option, yes this is my opinion however I want to help you and give you the right advice. Speak to Stapleford and ask them how many people do their IR in the USA and struggle to pass it in the UK.
Your hour building comes before the CPL, I did some of it in the UK but the weather was never good enough for me to complete my cross country flight so I went to Jerez in Spain where I had a great time and ended up flying to Portugal and back for my cross country.
Again the training at Stapleford for the CPL-ME-IR is fantastic. You will be flying in very busy airspace between Stansted, Luton, London City Airport and Southend, and it is good to learn in this type of environment as it is easier flying in quieter airspace.