Employee Benefit Plans	6 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Employee Benefit Plans [Abstract]
401(k) Plan	In November 1998, we established the Integrated Electrical Services, Inc. 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan (the “401(k) Plan”). All full-time IES employees are eligible to participate on the first day of the month subsequent to completing thirty days of service and attaining age twenty-one. Participants become vested in our matching contributions following three years of service. On February 13, 2009, we suspended company matching cash contributions to employee's contributions due to the significant impact the economic recession has had on the Company's financial performance. We made no contributions to the 401(k) plan for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.
Executive Savings Plan	Under the Executive Deferred Compensation Plan certain employees are permitted to defer a portion (up to 75%) of their base salary and/or bonus for a Plan Year. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, credit one or more participants with an employer deferral (contribution) in such amount as the Committee may choose (“Employer Contribution”). The Employer Contribution, if any, may be a fixed dollar amount, a fixed percentage of the participant's compensation, base salary, or bonus, or a “matching” amount with respect to all or part of the participant's elective deferrals for such plan year, and/or any combination of the foregoing as the Committee may choose. On February 13, 2009, we suspended Company matching cash contributions to employee's contributions due to the significant impact the economic recession has had on the Company's financial performance. We made no contributions to the Executive Deferred Compensation Plan for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011 respectively.
Post Retirement Benefit Plans	Certain individuals at one of the Company's locations are entitled to receive fixed annual payments that reach a maximum amount, as specified in the related agreements, for a ten year period following retirement or, in some cases, the attainment of 62 years of age. We recognize the unfunded status of the plan as part of current liabilities and non-current liabilities in our Consolidated Balance Sheet. Benefits vest 50% after ten years of service, which increases by 10% per annum until benefits are fully vested after 15 years of service. We had an unfunded benefit liability of $746 and $597 recorded as of March 31, 2012 and 2011 respectively.

Employee Benefit Plans

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

In November 1998, we established the Integrated Electrical Services, Inc. 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan (the “401(k) Plan”). All full-time IES employees are eligible to participate on the first day of the month subsequent to completing thirty days of service and attaining age twenty-one. Participants become vested in our matching contributions following three years of service.

On February 13, 2009, we suspended company matching cash contributions to employee's contributions due to the significant impact the economic recession has had on the Company's financial performance. We made no contributions to the 401(k) plan for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Executive Savings Plan

Under the Executive Deferred Compensation Plan certain employees are permitted to defer a portion (up to 75%) of their base salary and/or bonus for a Plan Year. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, credit one or more participants with an employer deferral (contribution) in such amount as the Committee may choose (“Employer Contribution”). The Employer Contribution, if any, may be a fixed dollar amount, a fixed percentage of the participant's compensation, base salary, or bonus, or a “matching” amount with respect to all or part of the participant's elective deferrals for such plan year, and/or any combination of the foregoing as the Committee may choose.

On February 13, 2009, we suspended Company matching cash contributions to employee's contributions due to the significant impact the economic recession has had on the Company's financial performance. We made no contributions to the Executive Deferred Compensation Plan for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011 respectively.

Post Retirement Benefit Plans

Certain individuals at one of the Company's locations are entitled to receive fixed annual payments that reach a maximum amount, as specified in the related agreements, for a ten year period following retirement or, in some cases, the attainment of 62 years of age. We recognize the unfunded status of the plan as part of current liabilities and non-current liabilities in our Consolidated Balance Sheet. Benefits vest 50% after ten years of service, which increases by 10% per annum until benefits are fully vested after 15 years of service. We had an unfunded benefit liability of $746 and $597 recorded as of March 31, 2012 and 2011 respectively.