How long does it take to get me setup?
Each web hosting company has its own protocol in this matter. So you cannot have one answer to this question. However, most web hosting companies use their own administration panels which are close to the cPanel. This helps them to activate your account fast. So your set shouldn't take too long.
However, if you are going for a specific server specifications or a non managed dedicated server than it may take a little longer to setup your account. You may also have to pay extra setup charges to physically build your server if you have special requirements.