CALPEDA ASIA PACIFIC PTE LTD v CHEW CONSTRUCTION & PLUMBING PTE. LTD.

[2023] SGHC 102 High Court (General Division) 18 April 2023 HC/S 913/2021

2 cases cited (1 SG, 1 foreign)

Key facts

Court	High Court (General Division)
Decided	18 April 2023
Judge	Kwek Mean Luck
Charges / claim	Building and Construction Law
Counsel	Ethos Law Corporation, Rajwin & Yong LLP, Debbie Lee, Oh Kim Heoh Mimi, Rajwin Singh Sandhu

Source: [2023] SGHC 102, High Court (General Division), decided 18 April 2023 — eLitigation. Updated 10 July 2026.

Catchwords

Building and Construction Law — Damages — Damages for defects Building and Construction Law — Damages — Delay in completion Building and Construction Law — Contractors’ duties — Maintenance Building and Construction Law — Subcontracts — Claims by subcontractor Building and Construction Law — Contractors’ duties — Defect liability provisions

Practice Areas

Building and Construction Law

Judges (1)

Kwek Mean Luck Delivered

Counsel (5)

Ethos Law Corporation Firm Rajwin & Yong LLP Firm

Debbie Lee Counsel for the plaintiff

Oh Kim Heoh Mimi Counsel for the plaintiff Rajwin Singh Sandhu Counsel for the defendant

Parties (2)

Calpeda Asia Pacific Pte Ltd Plaintiff

Chew Construction & Plumbing Pte Ltd Defendant

Case Significance

CALPEDA ASIA PACIFIC PTE LTD v CHEW CONSTRUCTION & PLUMBING PTE. LTD. [2023] SGHC 102 was decided in the General Division of the High Court by Kwek Mean Luck J on 18 April 2023 in Suit No 913 of 2021. Calpeda, which supplied and installed pumps across five building construction projects, claimed $683,147.92 from the subcontractor Chew Construction & Plumbing, which counterclaimed $683,664.73. The case concerned whether the outstanding sums for each project were due and payable and whether Calpeda had satisfied its work obligations, raising issues of damages for defects, delay in completion, maintenance duties and defect liability provisions.

Summary

Calpeda Asia Pacific Pte Ltd claimed $683,147.92 from Chew Construction & Plumbing Pte Ltd for supplying and installing pumps across five building projects, while Chew Construction counterclaimed $683,664.73 for alleged defects and delay. The dispute turned on whether the outstanding sums were due and whether Calpeda met its work obligations. Kwek Mean Luck J allowed Calpeda's claim in full with interest, dismissed the counterclaim, and ordered the $200,000 lodged in court released to Calpeda.

What was Calpeda Asia Pacific v Chew Construction & Plumbing [2023] SGHC 102 about?

It was a construction dispute in Suit No 913 of 2021 where Calpeda claimed $683,147.92 for supplying and installing pumps across five projects, and Chew Construction & Plumbing counterclaimed $683,664.73, raising issues of defects, delay, maintenance duties and defect liability provisions.

Who decided Calpeda Asia Pacific v Chew Construction & Plumbing and when ([2023] SGHC 102)?

Kwek Mean Luck J heard the matter in the General Division of the High Court over several days in January and March 2023, reserving judgment and delivering it on 18 April 2023 in Suit No 913 of 2021.