Is Pre-drilling Screw Holes On Doors Really That Important?

This is brand new construction - is pre-drilling screw holes on doors really that important?

Most of the doors in the house were like this.  They are cracked at the strike plate.

On the door of a double door, and on the side wall of the door framing, the wood was cracked at the strike plates.

Why?

Two reasons:

1.  No hole was pre-drilled to accommodate the screws.  Even a very small hole will prevent the wood from opening up and cracking.  Simple, but pre-drilling a hole is important.

2.  The screws have been over tightened.  Why?  Amateur work.

Some doors are like this, some worse.  And it is nearly every door in the house.

What will happen over time to this cracking?

Likely it will grow.  The door or the framing will become weaker.

And the strike plates become loose.

I happen to see loose strike plates all the time.  And this is why.

Yes, pre-drilling is an extra step. 
Yes, knowing how to tighten the screws properly takes extra care.
Yes, a person who doesn't do these things is less than professional.  Or ignorant.

Ignorant of what?  Basic carpentry techniques.

IF I WAS ASKED TO SAY WHAT I THINK IS THE SINGLE MOST-COMMON PROBLEM WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION I WOULD ANSWER IT WITH ONE SHORT PHRASE:

A LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM OR BASIC UNDERSTANDING.

People are paying a lot of money for a new house.  They are satisfying dreams.  They are looking forward to a future there where memories are established, children are raised, and life happens.  In some cases families have saved for years to make this purchase.

Sometimes what I find are not major things, but a multiplicity of problems that were created by someone who doesn't care, doesn't know, doesn't understand, or is following instructions.  What does this mean?

A LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM OR BASIC UNDERSTANDING.

On this particular house the buyers were there one rainy day to notice water dripping down from a light fixture.  Calling the supervisor he did not believe them.  Going upstairs to see why a small section of roof above this point had nails driven through shingles.  The nails were exposed and driven THROUGH the shingles!

What had happened was during a high wind storm the shingles had blown up and were loose.  So the "fix" was to hold them down more tightly, with nails.  What does this mean?

A LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM OR BASIC UNDERSTANDING.

During our inspection, because this small roof was visible and available, I took the screen off the window to stand on what I could see was a dimple in the roof.  It squished hugely.  Obviously it was rotten.  Just below this spongy, dangerously-weak spot was the light through which the water had been leaking.

Yes, the supervisor did eventually see the leaking and the nails through the shingles above.  He had those shingles replaced.  But nothing was done about what was obviously a soft area on the roof!  The "roofer"  nailed new shingles over what was obviously soft wood!!  The size of the soft area was about 1.5' x 2'. 

Why would any roofer do that?  I said it above -- because he "doesn't care, doesn't know, doesn't understand, or is following instructions."  What does this mean?

A LACK OF PROFESSIONALISM OR BASIC UNDERSTANDING.

Well, they will be fixing this now!  I also suggested that the insulation inside the ceiling that got wet be investigated and likely replaced.  The real repair is more than nailing on new shingles!!

My recommendation:  be aware!  Be smart!  Be in charge!  It's your house!  You are the boss!  And don't ever, ever, ever buy the weak and senseless line that "you don't need a home inspector.  The house has already had dozens of inspections."  That is a practiced, empty, myopic builder line intended to intimidate you.  Keep your antenna high.  And hire a home inspector.  Your Best Practice.