if I hire a half time A&P to support my one flying aircraft he could use
his excess time to disassemble the donor. I intend to have the prepurchase
inspections done by one of the specialists in whatever type I chose. I was
thinking of asking for their opinion on the weakest systems to know where to
start disassembly
There is no need to buy a second airframe, just get one that has full coverage, including avionics and APU, if one is installed. Yes you may pay a bit more an hour, but as soon as you blow an engine, need a premature APU overhaul because it ingested some FOD or need a few avionics boxes replaced, you are laughing.
Your DOC's are paid by the other party, your fixed cost are easily planned and all unforeseen are paid for by the insurance(s).
Based on your updated travel distances at least, a Hawker would suit the bill if you like the cabin. Go have a look around and see what you think, bring some of the more senior fellow travellers with you, even charter one for a test trip.
There is no need to buy a second airframe, or even hire a full time A&P. Get a local firm to quote you fixed fees for your maintenance intervals, and have them supply a mechanic for you to use ad hoc. It is a lot easier to challenge a supplier on failure to deliver than your own employee.
Don't make the mistake of doing it all yourself or the cheapest out there, you are not qualified or experienced to make those decisions or choices. Your primary concern should be to fix as much of your future cost and expenses as possible and cover all unforeseen scenarios. There will be loads of them and you cannot see them coming. Hiring an A&P when you are as inexperienced as you are just opens the door to being taken for a ride.
You are a businessman, do what you know, plan. Get everything possible covered for a fixed price, you may spend a bit more now, but over the life of your travels you will end up miles ahead.
Get going for a few years and you can always change your modus of operandi, once you gain the know how and experience, until then avoid trying to be clever, it will cost you.
Just for anecdotal comparison, my principal is on his umpteenth airplane, having owned their own for a long time, we have plenty of experience in operating private aircraft, we still cover all our fixed cost via programs and use outside vendors to supply maintenance contracts. We have had our misfortune and have had to replace, avionics and other high value items including powerplant/APU before they were due, but it didn't matter as the programs paid for the cost. The benefit of having fixed costs far outweighs the need for paying the cash when high value items go bang before they are due.
You will never have to weigh up the cost of a replacement when one is in doubt, as there is no financial outlay on your part to do so and believe me you will once you get your third 200k bill for the year, you will then contemplate giving your right arm for a fully covered airframe....
Getting an airframe on fixed costs will give you a safer operation, the same goes for using outside maintenance providers, in general they will not cut corners to keep you going, your own A&P may well do, even without your knowledge.
Limiting risk and exposure should be your primary concern, not trying to be clever and safe a few bucks here and there.
You stated that you would use the aircraft for personal trips, are you really contemplating putting your family and loved ones on an aircraft where cost of operating it was the primary concern? Should that not be safety.
I can't put a price on my nearest and dearest, can you?
Stop thinking cost, that word should not even enter the equation. Find the safest way of operating your own aircraft, if that means that the cost skyrockets and you can now not afford your own aircraft, then go stand in the queue again at your local airport and fly the airlines.
For a second anecdotal comparison, there are years where our cost are far greater than if we would have chartered for that year, but that is never an issue, for us it is all about the convenience and the inhouse control.
When it comes to operating your own aircraft, if you have to ask "how much" then you can't afford it.