Revenue from contracts with customers disaggregated by reportable segment and source of revenue (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	$ 65,197	$ 53,306	$ 190,325	$ 155,665
Other revenues	28,013	23,598	80,781	68,283
Total revenues	93,210	76,904	271,106	223,948
Industrial and Commercial Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	7,061	6,196	21,630	18,367
Building Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	5,211	5,928	15,147	17,317
Consumer Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	4,578	4,753	12,956	15,355
Grocery and Convenience Store Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	8,212	8,315	23,540	24,000
Food and Beverage Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	4,775	4,946	14,439	14,510
Auto Sales [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	2,752	2,686	8,106	7,888
Other Retail and Wholesale Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	5,428	4,992	16,512	14,972
Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	9,056	9,585	26,883	27,897
Electricity and Natural Gas [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	18,124	5,905	51,112	15,359
Manufacturing Businesses [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	17,989	17,957	53,067	54,128
Other revenues	1,179	1,012	3,440	2,962
Total revenues	19,168	18,969	56,507	57,090
Manufacturing Businesses [Member] | Industrial and Commercial Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	7,008	6,145	21,458	18,219
Manufacturing Businesses [Member] | Building Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	5,211	5,928	15,147	17,317
Manufacturing Businesses [Member] | Consumer Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	4,578	4,753	12,956	15,355
Manufacturing Businesses [Member] | Other Retail and Wholesale Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	807	803	2,420	2,343
Manufacturing Businesses [Member] | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	385	328	1,086	894
McLane [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	13,237	13,538	38,726	39,249
Other revenues	42	32	131	97
Total revenues	13,279	13,570	38,857	39,346
McLane [Member] | Grocery and Convenience Store Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	8,212	8,315	23,540	24,000
McLane [Member] | Food and Beverage Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	4,775	4,946	14,439	14,510
McLane [Member] | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	250	277	747	739
Service and Retailing [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	8,128	7,932	24,685	23,755
Other revenues	1,793	1,609	5,247	4,470
Total revenues	9,921	9,541	29,932	28,225
Service and Retailing [Member] | Industrial and Commercial Products [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	53	51	172	148
Service and Retailing [Member] | Auto Sales [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	2,752	2,686	8,106	7,888
Service and Retailing [Member] | Other Retail and Wholesale Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	3,933	4,189	12,301	12,629
Service and Retailing [Member] | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	1,390	1,006	4,106	3,090
BNSF [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	5,811	6,646	17,587	19,173
Other revenues	18	17	51	46
Total revenues	5,829	6,663	17,638	19,219
BNSF [Member] | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	5,811	6,646	17,587	19,173
Berkshire Hathaway Energy [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	6,945	7,233	19,043	19,360
Other revenues	324	320	1,015	748
Total revenues	7,269	7,553	20,058	20,108
Berkshire Hathaway Energy [Member] | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	1,141	1,328	3,169	4,001
Berkshire Hathaway Energy [Member] | Electricity and Natural Gas [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	5,804	5,905	15,874	15,359
PTC [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	13,087		37,217
Other revenues	58		157
Total revenues	13,145		37,374
PTC [Member] | Other Retail and Wholesale Distribution [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	688		1,791
PTC [Member] | Service [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	79		188
PTC [Member] | Electricity and Natural Gas [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Revenue from contracts with customers	12,320		35,238
Insurance, Corporate and Other [Member]
Disaggregation of Revenue [Line Items]
Other revenues	24,599	20,608	70,740	59,960
Total revenues	$ 24,599	$ 20,608	$ 70,740	$ 59,960