Your first question was answered.
I think you will find their are unexpected costs, and potentially hidden costs as well, it all depends on your point of view.
Sometime after I started playing I thought I would have my own strongold (Ive since seen it done).
I thought all I had to do was get all the materials and the scrolls and build up my influence and that would be it.
I would have all the benefits of having a stronghold.
Then I found out that the benefits are not so many,and getting a stronghold is only the first step. There is almost no end to the resources that you need to achieve anything inside.
Once you have a stronghold it will add significantly to your influence and you will find the competition target levels increase, and you are likely to be drawn against opposition who also has a strongold.
If you have lots of eager clan members you wont find it so tough, otherwise it might be a grind.