But when the bosses of Capital Hydraulics and Drains were star witnesses in the Royal Commission into trades unions in Canberra in 2015, they told the hearing there was "nothing more important than paying your staff".

The company's director Joe Lo Re and manager Nikki Lo Re have declined to talk about the collapse of their company which is also accused of abandoning a big housing project in Canberra's north, with the builder saying the estate is now months behind schedule because of Capital's shoddy work.

Further down the construction food chain, Fairfax Media has spoken to several angry former CHD workers, who say they are owed thousands of dollars in wages, unpaid superannuation and other entitlements.

Administrators Ernst & Young said about 131 workers were owed up to $500,000, Capital's 149 trade creditors were owed approximately $1.5m and the Australian Taxation Office owed $2m.

The Construction Energy Forestry and Mining Union has written to the ACT government urging it to seek an audit report into the company but the government says it only has the authority to audit companies working on territory building sites.

Workers say CHD told employees last month not to return to its construction site at Ginninderra Estate, near Belconnen golf course, and left about 80 jobless when it collapsed.

Woodhaven Investments director David O'Keeffe, whose firm hired CHD for civil works at the 350-home subdivision, said his business would sue the company's principals and officers for damages.

Mr O'Keeffe says CHD failed to meet ACT building standards and provide site testing to engineers before abandoning the project on March 10.

"We have paid them more than the value of the works completed to date that complies with the ACT government standards," he said.

Capital had a $10 million contract for civil works at Ginninderra Estate, and began work in May 2016 but they improperly constructed man holes and used incorrect material for backfill in some areas, Mr O'Keeffe said.

Chartered engineers Sellick Consultants found the company had conducted insufficient testing, and that some of CHD's work had failed tests.

Mr O'Keeffe said Woodhaven would have to pay millions ripping out faulty work and starting, and was beginning the process of finding a new contractor.

Builders who bought land expecting to start constructing homes soon would now have to wait until October, while works for the golf course also went unfinished.

Both Mr O'Keeffe and former employees said CHD was not returning calls or letters.

Former CHD employee Joao Batista Veloso is chasing $5,500 in unpaid superannuation and four months' long service leave after departing the company shortly before it went into administration.

While he was paid his regular salary, he knows of workers still chasing payments.

"They put so much into the company," Mr Veloso said.

"They worked so hard, this is what they do to them.

"It's a disgrace to be honest."

EY will hold a meeting of Capital's creditors at the Ainslie Football Club, Ainslie on Friday, April 7.