In your shoes I might be tempted to talk to a decent sized localish FTO such as, oh, Multiflight at LeedsBradford. If you walk in the door and arrange a proper meeting with the management they should help you plan your entire training ensuring you get continuity which is so important. As a potential £40,000 customer at a smaller school you will get a lot of well deserved attention.. .. .If you can do you PPL, CPL and IR all at one place then its a definite advantage. If its in the same aircraft and is possible with the same instructor then that is worth an awful lot. Hour building in the the States is OK particularly if your instructor gives you a list of things to cover.... .. .There are plenty of good FTO's arouns your area that could help you out so go do some research. If you can find one that means you do not have accomodation expenses then thats going to save you a good few thousand pounds.. .. .Good luck,. .. .WWW. .. .NB Your PPL is the basis of your entire career - the CPL is merely the same test to slightly harder limits - to skimp is to be penny wise and pound foolish..