From what I've learned on the long way of pursuit to become a helicopter pilot, here is my honest bit to the mill.
I recommend to a new guy looking for flight training, to go out on the ramp and see the fleet. How many helicopters are out there and what is the ratio to student and CFI. Is the maintenanance
done there ? Can you take your written and your checkride there ? What's the flying environment like ( climate)? What do other students have to say ? How many times a week can you fly? Schedule 4 times a week minimum, there is always a weather day or unscheduled maintenance somewhere. Fly as much as you can manage, it will save you time and money! To my experience, an average student takes about 10 hrs of dual to hover. By that time, straight and level and attitude flying start comming together. Next crunch is trimed takeoff and the biggest one, normal approach. That takes another 15-20 hrs. In the US the min dual requirement for a student pilot (R22) is 20 hrs
I have only had one (fixed wing pilot) who was able to solo with the min time, all others were between 25 -30 hrs. The rest of the flight training ( including emergencies and the rest of the sullabus) brings the national average to about 65 hours TT for PPL checkride. Now that can vary anywhere between 8 weeks and 8 months! As far as paying for flight training, I recommend paying in blocks, never all up front! Fly one helicopter model and dont' go back and forth between them. R22, R44 ,C300 are all very different animals and it will not be beneficial to you in the begining. Stay with one CFI and have another fly with you every 10 hrs or so and check your progress. He may have a better (different) way of comming through a problem or a plateau.
Stick with it! There's nothing like it.
Good luck