The AA hopes to make it easier for Kiwis to find an expert and trusted tradesperson for work around the house with the launch of its new “Book a Job” tradespeople service.

The move also comes in response to increased demand for home renovation and maintenance jobs, with Kiwis spending more time at home this year due to Covid-19.

Initially available in Auckland, AA Home Book a Job covers home repairs, installation and maintenance services related to electrical, plumbing and locksmith jobs by AA approved tradespeople.

It is the second service by AA Home, a joint venture between the AA and AA Insurance, which began supporting Kiwis in the home in February 2018. The first service, AA Home Response, covers household emergencies and already has a subscriber base of more than 124,000*.

AA Home Commercial Manager Bek Wall says scheduled home services are a natural next step.

“We launched AA Home Response in 2018 as research had shown AA Members were frustrated by the difficulty of getting a tradesperson to come quickly when they had a home emergency - like a blocked toilet, burst water pipe or they were simply locked out,” she says.

“Subscribers often ask if we can also do non-emergency jobs such as installing a new tap, replacing a dishwasher or power points. With AA Home Book a Job, we’ll now be able to do that throughout the Auckland region – all guaranteed by the AA.”

If the Auckland trial is successful, AA Home Book a Job will gradually roll out to the rest of the country.

Richard Park, Head of Marketing and Distribution at AA Insurance says: “We’re all about listening to our customers and giving them the help they want and need, which means providing a useful service like AA Home Book a Job. It's just another way of getting things sorted for our customers.

“Demand for AA Home Response is especially high during weather events. With people home a lot more than usual during Covid-19 this meant a busy time for plumbing and electrical works, increasing the number of callouts. With this in mind, we felt the time was right to introduce a service for non-emergency jobs."

AA Home Book a Job has a sleek, entirely online booking system. Homeowners can access the booking engine through aahome.co.nz, selecting from a list of jobs available for each trade. A detailed description of what is required can be provided, along with photos.

A price estimate will be given before a booking is made, with the final price confirmed and agreed prior to the tradesperson starting any work on site. Once completed, the payment for the work done is made securely online. If the required job is not on the list, a tradesperson can be booked to visit their home to provide an estimate for the work to be done.

AA Members, AA Insurance Home and Landlord policyholders, AA Home Response and AA Home Response Plus subscribers all receive a 10% discount on AA Home Book a Job services.

*This includes AA Insurance Home and Landlord policyholders who receive an AA Home Response subscription as part of their policy.