Use of the third room varies. In some houses, it serves as a workshop area for whatever craft activity the owner of the compound may be involved in. Most village dwellings do not have central heating. A small stove situated under the bed warms the occupants during winter. Houses are made of many different materials.
Older houses tend to be constructed of adobe or cut stone blocks.
Newer houses tend to be built using more brick, and a few even have tile facings, but even the newest houses tend to have the same general plan and are the same basic sizes as the older compounds. Most roofs are sloping and are made of ceramic tiles. Suffice it to say that there is not much room for individuality or display in rural Shandong domestic architecture.