The tile roofs are constructed in the typical Chinese style. Houses are usually two stories, with the ground floor serving as the center of daily life. The central room is where ancestors are enshrined and worshipped. This is also the place for family activities and entertaining guests. The bedrooms and kitchen are built to the sides of the central room.
Children sleep on the second story.
The stables, pig sty, chicken coops, and toilet are built on the side of the main house. In rural areas, weaving and embroideries are of high quality, and the patterned quilts and bags are especially beautiful. Recent regional industrialization means that skilled Tujia workers are now relocating in towns and cities, involving themselves in coal mining and light industry. The women are responsible for weaving, embroidery, and handicrafts. They also help with the farming alongside the men, and the men share in household chores.