That _does_ limit you to just `React.createElement()`, which is the core React API.
If you don't want to call `React.createElement()` every time (whether or not you alias to to something like `h()`), then you either use JSX (and a build step), or one of the other options like the ones I listed.
Pointing at that, and then claiming it's insufficient for "building an entire house", makes it look like there's some goalposts being shoved down the field.