Someone told me that houses build in the 1800s at least the expensive ones are built much better than houses build recently is this true

Today’s building standards are quite flimsy by comparison. Buildings back then were designed to remain cooler in the summers by having high ceilings, thick brick walls, cupolas to vent heat out through the roof. And the same thick walls retained the heat in winter. Everything today is designed to rely on artificial climate control. Once the power goes out, so does the climate. Only bad things about older buildings is maintaining them, asbestos concerns (if that was used) and changes in building codes should something need to be rebuilt.