Controlling Shareholder	6 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Controlling Shareholder [Abstract]
Controlling Shareholder	2. CONTROLLING SHAREHOLDER On April 30, 2010, we prepaid $15,000 of the original $25,000 principal outstanding on the Tontine Term Loan. On February 12, 2013, we entered into the Amendment to the 2012 Credit Facility pursuant to which, Wells Fargo provided the Company with a $5,000 term loan. On February 13, 2013, we repaid the remaining $10,000 of principal on the Tontine Term Loan with existing cash on hand and proceeds from the Wells Fargo Term Loan. For a description of the Amendment and the Wells Fargo Term Loan, please see Note 4, “Debt - The 2012 Revolving Credit Facility” in the Notes to these Consolidated Financial Statements. While Tontine is subject to restrictions under federal securities laws on sales of its shares as an affiliate, Tontine is party to a Registration Rights Agreement with the Company under which it has the ability, subject to certain restrictions, to demand registration of its shares in order to permit unrestricted sales of those shares. On February 20, 2013, pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, Tontine delivered a request to the Company for registration of all of its shares of IES common stock, and on February 21, 2013, the Company filed the Shelf Registration Statement to register Tontine's shares. The Shelf Registration Statement has not been declared effective, and remains subject to review and comment, by the SEC. Once the Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective and for so long as it remains effective, Tontine will have the ability to resell any or all of its shares from time to time in one or more offerings, as described in the Shelf Registration Statement and in any prospectus supplement filed in connection with an offering pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement. Should Tontine sell or exchange all or a portion of its position in IES, a change in ownership could occur. A change in ownership, as defined by Internal Revenue Code Section 382, could reduce the availability of net operating losses (“NOLs”) for federal and state income tax purposes. On January 28, 2013, the Company implemented a tax benefit protection plan (the “NOL Rights Plan”) that is designed to deter an acquisition of the Company's stock in excess of a threshold amount that could trigger a change of control within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 382. The NOL Rights Plan was filed as an exhibit to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on January 28, 2013 and any description thereof is qualified in its entirety by the terms of the NOL Rights Plan. There can be no assurance that the NOL Rights Plan will be effective in deterring a change of control or protecting the NOLs. Furthermore, a change in control would trigger the change of control provisions in a number of our material agreements, including our 2012 Credit Facility, bonding agreements with our sureties and certain employment contracts with certain officers and employees of the Company.

Controlling Shareholder

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

2. CONTROLLING SHAREHOLDER

On April 30, 2010, we prepaid $15,000 of the original $25,000 principal outstanding on the Tontine Term Loan. On February 12, 2013, we entered into the Amendment to the 2012 Credit Facility pursuant to which, Wells Fargo provided the Company with a $5,000 term loan. On February 13, 2013, we repaid the remaining $10,000 of principal on the Tontine Term Loan with existing cash on hand and proceeds from the Wells Fargo Term Loan. For a description of the Amendment and the Wells Fargo Term Loan, please see Note 4, “Debt - The 2012 Revolving Credit Facility” in the Notes to these Consolidated Financial Statements.

While Tontine is subject to restrictions under federal securities laws on sales of its shares as an affiliate, Tontine is party to a Registration Rights Agreement with the Company under which it has the ability, subject to certain restrictions, to demand registration of its shares in order to permit unrestricted sales of those shares. On February 20, 2013, pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, Tontine delivered a request to the Company for registration of all of its shares of IES common stock, and on February 21, 2013, the Company filed the Shelf Registration Statement to register Tontine's shares. The Shelf Registration Statement has not been declared effective, and remains subject to review and comment, by the SEC. Once the Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective and for so long as it remains effective, Tontine will have the ability to resell any or all of its shares from time to time in one or more offerings, as described in the Shelf Registration Statement and in any prospectus supplement filed in connection with an offering pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement.

Should Tontine sell or exchange all or a portion of its position in IES, a change in ownership could occur. A change in ownership, as defined by Internal Revenue Code Section 382, could reduce the availability of net operating losses (“NOLs”) for federal and state income tax purposes. On January 28, 2013, the Company implemented a tax benefit protection plan (the “NOL Rights Plan”) that is designed to deter an acquisition of the Company's stock in excess of a threshold amount that could trigger a change of control within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 382. The NOL Rights Plan was filed as an exhibit to our Current Report on Form 8-K, filed with the SEC on January 28, 2013 and any description thereof is qualified in its entirety by the terms of the NOL Rights Plan. There can be no assurance that the NOL Rights Plan will be effective in deterring a change of control or protecting the NOLs. Furthermore, a change in control would trigger the change of control provisions in a number of our material agreements, including our 2012 Credit Facility, bonding agreements with our sureties and certain employment contracts with certain officers and employees of the Company.