Business	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Business [Abstract]
Description of the Business	1. BUSINESS Description of the Business IES Holdings, 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 services: Commercial & Industrial – Provider of electrical and mechanical design, construction, and maintenance services to the commercial and industrial markets in various regional markets and nationwide in certain areas of expertise, such as the power infrastructure market. Communications –Nationwide provider of technology infrastructure products and services to large corporations and independent businesses. Infrastructure Solutions – Provider of electro-mechanical solutions for industrial operations. Residential – Regional provider of electrical installation services for single-family housing and multi-family apartment complexes. The words “IES”, the “Company”, “we”, “our”, and “us” refer to IES Holdings, Inc. and, except as otherwise specified herein, to our consolidated subsidiaries. Our Commercial & Industrial segment offers a broad range of expertise that enables us to provide a wide array of electrical and mechanical design, construction, and maintenance services to the commercial and industrial markets. The offerings under our design services platform range from budget assistance to providing design-build and LEED solutions to our end customers. These services are typically integrated with our construction services. Our construction services range from the initial planning and procurement to installation and start-up. The construction services are offered to a variety of new and remodel construction projects including transmission and distribution projects. The maintenance services offered include constant presence, critical plant shutdown, troubleshooting, emergency testing, and preventative maintenance. We provide our services for a variety of project types, including: office buildings, manufacturing facilities, data centers, chemical plants, refineries, wind farms, solar facilities and municipal infrastructure and health care facilities. The Commercial & Industrial segment consists of 24 locations, including the segment headquarters in Houston, Texas. These locations geographically cover Texas, Nebraska, Colorado, Oregon and the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Our Communications segment is a leading provider of network infrastructure services for data centers and other mission critical environments. Services offered include the design, installation and maintenance of network infrastructure for the financial, medical, hospitality, government, high-tech manufacturing, educational and information technology industries, including for Fortune 500 companies. We also provide the design and installation of audio/visual, telephone, fire, wireless access and intrusion alarm systems as well as design/build, service and maintenance of data network systems. We perform services across the United States from our 12 offices, which include our Communications headquarters located in Tempe, Arizona, allowing for dedicated onsite maintenance teams at our customers’ sites. Our Infrastructure Solutions segment provides electro-mechanical solutions for industrial operations to domestic and international customers. In particular, our electro-mechanical services include the maintenance and repair of alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) electric motors and generators, as well as power generating and distribution equipment; the manufacture, remanufacture, and repair of industrial lifting magnets; maintenance and repair of railroad main and auxiliary generators, main alternators, and traction motors; and the manufacture of bus duct solutions used in power distribution. This segment serves the steel, railroad, marine, petrochemical, pulp and paper, wind energy, mining, automotive, power generation, scrap yards, and utility industries. Infrastructure Solutions is comprised of 10 locations, headquartered in Ohio. These locations geographically cover Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, West Virginia and California. Our Residential segment provides electrical installation services for single-family housing and multi-family apartment complexes and cable television installations for residential and light commercial applications. In addition to our core electrical construction work, the Residential segment also provides services for the installation of residential solar power, both for new construction and existing residences. The Residential segment is made up of 36 locations, which include our Residential headquarters in Houston, Texas. These locations geographically cover the Sun-Belt, Western and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Controlling Shareholder At September 30, 2017, Tontine Associates, L.L.C. and its affiliates (collectively, “Tontine”), was the controlling shareholder of the Company’s common stock. 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, including the approval of any potential merger or sale of all or substantially all assets or segments of the Company, or the Company itself. For a more complete discussion on our relationship with Tontine, please refer to Note 3, “Controlling Shareholder” in the notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements.

1. BUSINESS

Description of the Business

IES Holdings, 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 services:

Commercial & Industrial – Provider of electrical and mechanical design, construction, and maintenance services to the commercial and industrial markets in various regional markets and nationwide in certain areas of expertise, such as the power infrastructure market.
Communications –Nationwide provider of technology infrastructure products and services to large corporations and independent businesses.
Infrastructure Solutions – Provider of electro-mechanical solutions for industrial operations.
Residential – Regional provider of electrical installation services for single-family housing and multi-family apartment complexes.

The words “IES”, the “Company”, “we”, “our”, and “us” refer to IES Holdings, Inc. and, except as otherwise specified herein, to our consolidated subsidiaries.

Our Commercial & Industrial segment offers a broad range of expertise that enables us to provide a wide array of electrical and mechanical design, construction, and maintenance services to the commercial and industrial markets. The offerings under our design services platform range from budget assistance to providing design-build and LEED solutions to our end customers. These services are typically integrated with our construction services. Our construction services range from the initial planning and procurement to installation and start-up. The construction services are offered to a variety of new and remodel construction projects including transmission and distribution projects. The maintenance services offered include constant presence, critical plant shutdown, troubleshooting, emergency testing, and preventative maintenance. We provide our services for a variety of project types, including: office buildings, manufacturing facilities, data centers, chemical plants, refineries, wind farms, solar facilities and municipal infrastructure and health care facilities. The Commercial & Industrial segment consists of 24 locations, including the segment headquarters in Houston, Texas. These locations geographically cover Texas, Nebraska, Colorado, Oregon and the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Our Communications segment is a leading provider of network infrastructure services for data centers and other mission critical environments. Services offered include the design, installation and maintenance of network infrastructure for the financial, medical, hospitality, government, high-tech manufacturing, educational and information technology industries, including for Fortune 500 companies. We also provide the design and installation of audio/visual, telephone, fire, wireless access and intrusion alarm systems as well as design/build, service and maintenance of data network systems. We perform services across the United States from our 12 offices, which include our Communications headquarters located in Tempe, Arizona, allowing for dedicated onsite maintenance teams at our customers’ sites.

Our Infrastructure Solutions segment provides electro-mechanical solutions for industrial operations to domestic and international customers. In particular, our electro-mechanical services include the maintenance and repair of alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) electric motors and generators, as well as power generating and distribution equipment; the manufacture, remanufacture, and repair of industrial lifting magnets; maintenance and repair of railroad main and auxiliary generators, main alternators, and traction motors; and the manufacture of bus duct solutions used in power distribution. This segment serves the steel, railroad, marine, petrochemical, pulp and paper, wind energy, mining, automotive, power generation, scrap yards, and utility industries. Infrastructure Solutions is comprised of 10 locations, headquartered in Ohio. These locations geographically cover Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, West Virginia and California.

Our Residential segment provides electrical installation services for single-family housing and multi-family apartment complexes and cable television installations for residential and light commercial applications. In addition to our core electrical construction work, the Residential segment also provides services for the installation of residential solar power, both for new construction and existing residences. The Residential segment is made up of 36 locations, which include our Residential headquarters in Houston, Texas. These locations geographically cover the Sun-Belt, Western and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.

Controlling Shareholder

At September 30, 2017, Tontine Associates, L.L.C. and its affiliates (collectively, “Tontine”), was the controlling shareholder of the Company’s common stock. 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, including the approval of any potential merger or sale of all or substantially all assets or segments of the Company, or the Company itself. For a more complete discussion on our relationship with Tontine, please refer to Note 3, “Controlling Shareholder” in the notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements.