Controlling Shareholder	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Controlling Shareholder [Abstract]
Controlling Shareholder	3. CONTROLLING SHAREHOLDER At September 30, 2018, Tontine was the controlling shareholder, owning approximately 59 percent of the Company’s outstanding common stock according to a Form 4 filed with the SEC by Tontine on October 3, 2018. 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, the Company has filed a shelf registration statement to register all of the shares of IES common stock owned by Tontine at the time of registration. As long as the shelf registration statement remains effective and the Company remains eligible to use it, 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 the Company’s net operating losses (“NOLs”) for federal and state income tax purposes. On November 8, 2016, the Company implemented a new tax benefit protection plan (the “NOL Rights Plan”). The NOL Rights Plan was 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. 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 control 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. Jeffrey L. Gendell was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors and as non-executive Chairman of the Board in November 2016. He is the managing member and founder of Tontine, and the brother of David B. Gendell, who has served as a member of the Board of Directors since February 2012 and as Interim Director of Operations of the Company since November 2017, and who previously served as non-executive Vice Chairman of the Board from November 2016 to November 2017 and as non-executive Chairman of the Board from January 2015 to November 2016. David B. Gendell was an employee of Tontine from 2004 until December 31, 2017. The Company is party to a sublease agreement with Tontine Associates, LLC, an affiliate of Tontine, for corporate office space in Greenwich, Connecticut. The lease was renewed for a three-year term in April 2016 with an increase in the monthly rent to $8, reflecting the increase paid by Tontine Associates, LLC to its landlord and the Company’s increased use of the corporate office space. 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. On December 6, 2018, the Company entered into a Board Observer Letter Agreement with Tontine Associates, L.L.C. in order to assist Tontine in managing its investment in the Company. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Agreement, the Company granted Tontine the right, at any time that Tontine holds at least 20% of the outstanding common stock of the Company, to appoint a representative to serve as an observer to the Board (the “Board Observer”). The Board Observer, who shall serve at the discretion of and must be reasonably acceptable to those members of the Board who are not affiliates of Tontine, shall have no voting rights or other decision making authority. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Agreement, so long as Tontine has the right to appoint a Board Observer, the Board Observer will have the right to attend and participate in meetings of the Board and the committees thereof, subject to confidentiality requirements, and to receive reimbursement for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in his or her capacity as a Board Observer and such rights to coverage under the Company’s directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policy as are available to other directors.

3. CONTROLLING SHAREHOLDER

At September 30, 2018, Tontine was the controlling shareholder, owning approximately 59 percent of the Company’s outstanding common stock according to a Form 4 filed with the SEC by Tontine on October 3, 2018. 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, the Company has filed a shelf registration statement to register all of the shares of IES common stock owned by Tontine at the time of registration. As long as the shelf registration statement remains effective and the Company remains eligible to use it, 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 the Company’s net operating losses (“NOLs”) for federal and state income tax purposes. On November 8, 2016, the Company implemented a new tax benefit protection plan (the “NOL Rights Plan”). The NOL Rights Plan was 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. 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 control 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.

Jeffrey L. Gendell was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors and as non-executive Chairman of the Board in November 2016. He is the managing member and founder of Tontine, and the brother of David B. Gendell, who has served as a member of the Board of Directors since February 2012 and as Interim Director of Operations of the Company since November 2017, and who previously served as non-executive Vice Chairman of the Board from November 2016 to November 2017 and as non-executive Chairman of the Board from January 2015 to November 2016. David B. Gendell was an employee of Tontine from 2004 until December 31, 2017.

The Company is party to a sublease agreement with Tontine Associates, LLC, an affiliate of Tontine, for corporate office space in Greenwich, Connecticut. The lease was renewed for a three-year term in April 2016 with an increase in the monthly rent to $8, reflecting the increase paid by Tontine Associates, LLC to its landlord and the Company’s increased use of the corporate office space. 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.

On December 6, 2018, the Company entered into a Board Observer Letter Agreement with Tontine Associates, L.L.C. in order to assist Tontine in managing its investment in the Company. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Agreement, the Company granted Tontine the right, at any time that Tontine holds at least 20% of the outstanding common stock of the Company, to appoint a representative to serve as an observer to the Board (the “Board Observer”). The Board Observer, who shall serve at the discretion of and must be reasonably acceptable to those members of the Board who are not affiliates of Tontine, shall have no voting rights or other decision making authority. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Agreement, so long as Tontine has the right to appoint a Board Observer, the Board Observer will have the right to attend and participate in meetings of the Board and the committees thereof, subject to confidentiality requirements, and to receive reimbursement for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in his or her capacity as a Board Observer and such rights to coverage under the Company’s directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policy as are available to other directors.