Controlling Shareholder	6 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Controlling Shareholder [Abstract]
Controlling Shareholder	2. CONTROLLING SHAREHOLDER At March 31, 2016, Tontine Capital Partners, L.P. together with its affiliates (collectively “Tontine”) was the Company’s controlling shareholder, owning approximately 62.4% of the Company’s outstanding common stock according to a Schedule 13D/A filed with the SEC by Tontine on March 24, 2016. Accordingly, Tontine has the ability to exercise significant control over our affairs, including the election of directors and most actions requiring the approval of shareholders. While Tontine is subject to restrictions under federal securities laws on sales of its shares as an affiliate, in 2013, pursuant to the terms of a registration rights agreement between the Company and Tontine, the Company filed a shelf registration statement to register all of the shares of IES common stock then owned by Tontine (the “Registered Shares”). As long as the shelf registration statement remains effective, Tontine has the ability to resell any or all of its Registered 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 otherwise dispose of all or a portion of its position in IES, a change in ownership of IES 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 ownership within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 382. There can be no assurance that the NOL Rights Plan will be effective in deterring a change of ownership or protecting the NOLs. Furthermore, a change in ownership would trigger the change of control provisions in a number of our material agreements, including our credit facility, bonding agreements with our sureties and our severance arrangements. David B. Gendell, the brother of Jeffrey Gendell, the founder and managing member of Tontine, has been a member of the Company’s Board of Directors since February, 2012, and has served as the Company’s non-executive Chairman of the Board since January, 2015. Mr. Gendell, is also an employee of Tontine. On March 29, 2012, the Company entered into a sublease agreement with Tontine Associates, LLC, an affiliate of Tontine, for corporate office space in Greenwich, Connecticut. The lease originally extended from April 1, 2012 through March 31, 2014, with monthly payments due in the amount of $6, and was renewed in March 2014 for a subsequent two-year term at approximately the same payment level. The lease has terms at market rates and payments by the Company are at a rate consistent with that paid by Tontine Associates, LLC to its landlord. The lease was amended in April 2016 to reflect an increase in the rent paid by Tontine Associates, LLC to its landlord and increased use of the corporate office space.

2. CONTROLLING SHAREHOLDER

At March 31, 2016, Tontine Capital Partners, L.P. together with its affiliates (collectively “Tontine”) was the Company’s controlling shareholder, owning approximately 62.4% of the Company’s outstanding common stock according to a Schedule 13D/A filed with the SEC by Tontine on March 24, 2016. Accordingly, Tontine has the ability to exercise significant control over our affairs, including the election of directors and most actions requiring the approval of shareholders.

While Tontine is subject to restrictions under federal securities laws on sales of its shares as an affiliate, in 2013, pursuant to the terms of a registration rights agreement between the Company and Tontine, the Company filed a shelf registration statement to register all of the shares of IES common stock then owned by Tontine (the “Registered Shares”). As long as the shelf registration statement remains effective, Tontine has the ability to resell any or all of its Registered 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 otherwise dispose of all or a portion of its position in IES, a change in ownership of IES 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 ownership within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 382. There can be no assurance that the NOL Rights Plan will be effective in deterring a change of ownership or protecting the NOLs. Furthermore, a change in ownership would trigger the change of control provisions in a number of our material agreements, including our credit facility, bonding agreements with our sureties and our severance arrangements.

David B. Gendell, the brother of Jeffrey Gendell, the founder and managing member of Tontine, has been a member of the Company’s Board of Directors since February, 2012, and has served as the Company’s non-executive Chairman of the Board since January, 2015. Mr. Gendell, is also an employee of Tontine.

On March 29, 2012, the Company entered into a sublease agreement with Tontine Associates, LLC, an affiliate of Tontine, for corporate office space in Greenwich, Connecticut. The lease originally extended from April 1, 2012 through March 31, 2014, with monthly payments due in the amount of $6, and was renewed in March 2014 for a subsequent two-year term at approximately the same payment level. The lease has terms at market rates and payments by the Company are at a rate consistent with that paid by Tontine Associates, LLC to its landlord. The lease was amended in April 2016 to reflect an increase in the rent paid by Tontine Associates, LLC to its landlord and increased use of the corporate office space.