I remember back in Morrowind making your own house. You had to get permits, get builders, deal with the problems of say running into a monster ridden cave where your foundation was supposed to be, the money, dealing with the politics of the great houses plus the Empire, the builders again, that guy who doesn't like your great house of choice, more permits, hey that wizard decided he thinks adding some Dwemer machines would be cool go get him the parts he needs, more permits, your builders again. Hey your house is built but who just wants a house lets get a wall and some merchants, more paperwork.
In the end I had a magnificent house that I never used because I had long ago decided to squat in the house in Balmora with the dead guy. You know the house I'm talking about. Come to think of it he made a great dresser.