Poaching in Wellington's construction market is putting some companies under pressure

Dews Construction has put itself into voluntary liquidation, saying the business has become unsustainable.

Its director has partly put the situation down to poaching and having to pay tradies top dollar just to get them to stay.

Wellington builder Dave Mudge says there's a tradie shortage in the capital and poaching has become more rife in the last year or so.

He says it's stressful for some businesses to come up with the extra money to keep staff.