But from the viewpoint of those for whom houses are built, they are an immeasurable improvement. They are built of rebar-reinforced cinderblocks, with full cement floors. Tin roofs are firmly connected to the walls. Each house has 2 doors and several windows. The kitchens have built-in cinderblock stoves.
Fuel is still wood, but there is a direct vent to the outside through a stovepipe.
It's quite an enhancement over the choking kitchens in traditional houses. When I first arrived in Guatemala, the seasons, rainy and dry, were still dueling, but after a few days, the dry season prevailed. Everyone I met had a head cold, ostensibly due to the seasonal shift. We didn't waste any time getting to work. We had houses to build and a mission to complete.