I use pretty much ~3 hrs. to build a freesite, that is, when the galleries are allready built.
If i should build a freesite from the bottom up, with galleries, mainsite and the index i would say 4-5 hrs.
I am using too much time to custom build banners and buttons, and way too long on the texts, but i would say it is better to build one good site and get accepted , than to build 5 and get rejected at most places