Business	3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Business [Abstract]
Description of the Business	1. BUSINESS Description of the Business Integrated Electrical Services, Inc. is a holding company that owns and manages operating subsidiaries in business activities across a variety of end markets. Our operations are currently organized into four principal business segments, based upon the nature of our current products and services: Communications – Nationwide provider of products and services for mission critical infrastructure, such as data centers, of large corporations. Residential – Regional provider of electrical installation services for single-family housing and multi-family apartment complexes, including installation of residential solar power. Commercial & Industrial – Provider of electrical design, construction, and maintenance services for commercial and industrial projects nationwide. Infrastructure Solutions - Provider of industrial and rail services, and electrical and mechanical solutions to domestic and international customers. (This segment was created in connection with the acquisition of MISCOR Group, Ltd. (“MISCOR”).) The words “IES”, the “Company”, “we”, “our”, and “us” refer to Integrated Electrical Services, Inc. and, except as otherwise specified herein, to our wholly-owned subsidiaries. Basis of Financial Statement Preparation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of IES and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, and have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to interim financial reporting as prescribed by the SEC. The results for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for the entire year. These interim financial statements do not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, and should be read in the context of the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto filed with the SEC in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014. In the opinion of management, the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contained in this report include all known accruals and adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows for the periods reported herein. All such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires the use of estimates and assumptions by management in determining the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosures of contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Estimates are primarily used in our revenue recognition of construction in progress, fair value assumptions in analyzing goodwill, investments, intangible assets and long-lived asset impairments and adjustments, allowance for doubtful accounts receivable, stock-based compensation, reserves for legal matters, assumptions regarding estimated costs to exit certain segments, realizability of deferred tax assets, unrecognized tax benefits and self-insured claims liabilities and related reserves. Seasonality and Quarterly Fluctuations Results of operations from our Residential construction segment are seasonal, depending on weather trends, with typically higher revenues generated during spring and summer and lower revenues during fall and winter. The Communications, Commercial & Industrial, and Infrastructure Solutions segments of our business are less subject to seasonal trends, as work in these segments generally is performed inside structures protected from the weather, although weather can still impact these businesses, especially in the early stages of projects. Our service and maintenance business is generally not affected by seasonality. In addition, the construction industry has historically been highly cyclical. Our volume of business may be adversely affected by declines in construction projects resulting from adverse regional or national economic conditions. Quarterly results may also be materially affected by the timing of new construction projects. Results for our Infrastructure Solutions segment may be affected by the timing of outages at our customers’ facilities. Accordingly, operating results for any fiscal period are not necessarily indicative of results that may be achieved for any subsequent fiscal period.

Business

3 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

1. BUSINESS

Description of the Business

Integrated Electrical Services, Inc. is a holding company that owns and manages operating subsidiaries in business activities across a variety of end markets. Our operations are currently organized into four principal business segments, based upon the nature of our current products and services:

Communications – Nationwide provider of products and services for mission critical infrastructure, such as data centers, of large corporations.
Residential – Regional provider of electrical installation services for single-family housing and multi-family apartment complexes, including installation of residential solar power.
Commercial & Industrial – Provider of electrical design, construction, and maintenance services for commercial and industrial projects nationwide.
Infrastructure Solutions - Provider of industrial and rail services, and electrical and mechanical solutions to domestic and international customers. (This segment was created in connection with the acquisition of MISCOR Group, Ltd. (“MISCOR”).)

The words “IES”, the “Company”, “we”, “our”, and “us” refer to Integrated Electrical Services, Inc. and, except as otherwise specified herein, to our wholly-owned subsidiaries.

Basis of Financial Statement Preparation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of IES and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, and have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to interim financial reporting as prescribed by the SEC. The results for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for the entire year. These interim financial statements do not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, and should be read in the context of the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto filed with the SEC in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014. In the opinion of management, the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contained in this report include all known accruals and adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows for the periods reported herein. All such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires the use of estimates and assumptions by management in determining the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosures of contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Estimates are primarily used in our revenue recognition of construction in progress, fair value assumptions in analyzing goodwill, investments, intangible assets and long-lived asset impairments and adjustments, allowance for doubtful accounts receivable, stock-based compensation, reserves for legal matters, assumptions regarding estimated costs to exit certain segments, realizability of deferred tax assets, unrecognized tax benefits and self-insured claims liabilities and related reserves.

Seasonality and Quarterly Fluctuations

Results of operations from our Residential construction segment are seasonal, depending on weather trends, with typically higher revenues generated during spring and summer and lower revenues during fall and winter. The Communications, Commercial & Industrial, and Infrastructure Solutions segments of our business are less subject to seasonal trends, as work in these segments generally is performed inside structures protected from the weather, although weather can still impact these businesses, especially in the early stages of projects. Our service and maintenance business is generally not affected by seasonality. In addition, the construction industry has historically been highly cyclical. Our volume of business may be adversely affected by declines in construction projects resulting from adverse regional or national economic conditions. Quarterly results may also be materially affected by the timing of new construction projects. Results for our Infrastructure Solutions segment may be affected by the timing of outages at our customers’ facilities. Accordingly, operating results for any fiscal period are not necessarily indicative of results that may be achieved for any subsequent fiscal period.