As you now know, it is much more beneficial to gain your FAA license / rating (s) prior to converting to CAA. This Private Pilot License with Instrument Rating and Hour Building package will not only save you time and money but upon completion you will be at exactly the total time required to begin your CPL training.
Complete the FAA PPL course in 40 hours total flight time. 1 written test and 1 flight test.
Complete the FAA IR course. The total hours you will fly during this Rating is 45 hours.
Recap: You will now be at a minimum of 85 hours total flight time.
The remainder of your package will be to build your flight time. It is important to gain at least 50 PIC hours total under Instrument Flight Rules (around 40 of the IR course portion counts towards this). You must hit 150 hours total time upon completion.
Now you have the 100 hours total time to efficiently convert the PPL and also the required 50 PIC hours under Instrument Flight Rules to convert your FAA IR.
You should allow around 4-5 months to complete your PPL / IR with Hour Building.
PPL / IR
Hour building
$40,250 (approx £33,000)