Unless you need to do special functions, for the most part, you don't need to know a lick of code to put together a website. It's been this way for years. MS FrontPage and Dreamweaver have made building a typical 5 page website possible without knowing pretty much any code. Obviously those programs are now obsolete, but that shows how long it's been this way.
The challenge with building an average website is not the code. It's not even functionality. It's content. Designing the graphics, getting the look right, filling in the right copy, and doing it all well is what holds people back. I don't do web design and I'm in no way advertising a service (I'll turn you down if you contact me). I've barely used Word Press. With that said, if you design all the graphics and type up all the content, I could get together a "standard" Wordpress site in less than a day. It will likely take you 20+ hours to get your portfolio ready, design the graphics, and write up the copy. That's what takes the time.