PPRuNe Forums - Returning to flying

I'll try keep this concise. I'm a former PPL holder who gave up flying numerous years ago due to other commitments but is now at a point in his life where he wants to get back into it. Not only that but wants to take it further and go down the modular route to ATPL and make a career of it.

The current state of play is as follows:
JAR PPL - issued 03/2007, expired 03/2012
SEP rating - issued 11/2008, expired 02/2011
Class 2 medical - issued 02/2004, expired 02/2009
R/T licence - issued 03/2007, expired 03/2017

Last time I flew was 01/2009.

I'm going to visit the various flying schools in the local vicinity to get a feel and ask the following questions but thought I'd try get a heads up before I went in. Currently preferring Perth or Dundee as they have the setup to take me all the way through to ATPL and there are onsite flying clubs.

I know that the first thing I need to do is get a class 1 medical to determine whether commercial flying is possible, otherwise I'll just need to settle for a class 2 medical and exercise the privileges of a PPL whilst continuing current career. Just want to double check I can undertake a medical without having any current licences? I'll still have my CAA reference number from back in the day to put on application form etc.

For the R/T licence, will it just be a case of paying the renewal fee to get it reinstated or will I need to undertake the theory and practical tests again?

I understand renewing the PPL will involve me going up with an instructor for X hours until the competencies are upto scratch but what happens next I'm not sure of. Is it a redo of the skills test with an examiner, or a proficiency test with the instructor? I intend on reading the Trevor Thom Air Pilots Manuals (all be it slightly out of dates ones) again to refresh the practical stuff. But will I need to resit all those theory tests or are the previous passes still valid?

I read somewhere that in order to maintain consistency the CAA only allow you to undertake training at a certain number of providers. Can anyone point me in the direction of where that's written down or give me some extra detail of it. Does it include PPL training or just apply to commercial training? For instance, I did my PPL at Cumbernauld Flying School (now gone bust) but might want to do distance learning ATPL at Bristol Groundschool and my CPL at ACS in Perth. That makes three training providers, is this ok?

Think that's the questions I have for now.

I'm hoping to complete the modular route in 24-30 months whilst working full time. Budgeting to spend £35,000-40,000. Plan for months 0-12 would be to build hours to 100 P1 and 150 total, complete CPL cross country qualifier, attain night rating and pass all fourteen ATPL exams. Months 13-onwards will be CPL + IR + MEP etc.