When fixing timber (eg a cupboard) to wall I've always drilled a hole (suitable for the screw) through the timber, offered the timber up to the wall, lightly tapped a nail or screw through the each hole to mark the position on the wall, removed the timber, drilled the wall, inserted the plugs, repositioned the timber then inserted the screw and tightened it down.
When watching some kitchen fitters recently, they positioned the cupboard, whacked a hole though the timber and into the wall with an SDS drill (without changing the bit), pushed a plug into the hole in the timber, inserted a screw finger tight into the plug, hammered it into the hole leaving about 15mm of screw projecting, then tightened the screw down. A lot quicker, and you don't have to worry about the hole in the wall drifting out of position, but I wonder does it give a secure fixing, as the face of the plug is not being pulled up against the timber? I know this works for frame fixings, but normal plugs are a bit different (or maybe not)?
Is this the modern way of doing things, or a just quick bodge?
David.