In addition, Taiwan during this time saw frequent vendettas between families who came from different towns in Fukien. As a result, many kuo-ts'o walls were studded with holes for observation and had arsenals.
四合院佔地二百多坪，規模不算頂大，但格局嚴謹，配置勻齊，選料及手工皆極講究。由於當時台灣北部官府管制較鬆，雖然林家到了廿一世，才出現一位七品官，但林厝的屋脊，一逕是輕盈曼妙的燕尾形式；至於「水」行山牆，則與屋主的五行屬性有關。