Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Contributed Shares [Member]	Capital Surplus [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member]	Total MasTec, Inc. Shareholders' Equity [Member]	Non-Controlling Interests [Member]
Beginning balance, common shares outstanding (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2011		85,162,527
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2011	$ 811,207	$ 8,516	$ (75,000)	$ 0	$ 792,096	$ 93,489	$ (7,946)	$ 811,155	$ 52
Beginning balance, treasury shares (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2011			(4,593,663)
Consolidated Statements of Equity
Net income (loss)	107,416					107,426		107,426	(10)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	2,445						2,445	2,445
Acquisition of non-controlling interest	4,661								4,661
Non-cash stock-based compensation	4,433				4,433			4,433
Income tax effect from stock-based compensation	759				759			759
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		391,949
Exercise of stock options	3,718	$ 40			3,678			3,718
Issuance of restricted shares (in shares)		347,889
Issuance of restricted shares	0	$ 35			(35)			0
Other stock issuances, net (in shares)		13,187
Other stock issuances, net	2,236	$ 1			2,235			2,236
Acquisition of treasury stock, at cost (in shares)			(4,873,623)
Acquisition of treasury stock, at cost	(75,000)		$ (75,000)					(75,000)
Ending balance, common shares outstanding (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2012		85,915,552
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2012	861,875	$ 8,592	$ (150,000)	0	803,166	200,915	(5,501)	857,172	4,703
Ending balance, treasury shares (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2012			(9,467,286)
Beginning balance, treasury shares (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2012			(9,467,286)
Consolidated Statements of Equity
Net income (loss)	141,216					140,950		140,950	266
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(7,785)						(7,785)	(7,785)
Non-cash stock-based compensation	12,944				12,944			12,944
Income tax effect from stock-based compensation	4,315				4,315			4,315
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		513,254
Exercise of stock options	3,867	$ 51			3,816			3,867
Issuance of restricted shares (in shares)		68,122
Issuance of restricted shares	0	$ 7			(7)			0
Other stock issuances, net (in shares)		428,444
Other stock issuances, net	4,626	$ 42			4,584			4,626
Contributed shares (in shares)		(200,000)
Contributed shares	$ 0	$ (20)		6,002	(5,982)			0
Ending balance, common shares outstanding (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013	86,725,372	86,725,372
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 1,021,058	$ 8,672	$ (150,000)	6,002	822,836	341,865	(13,286)	1,016,089	4,969
Ending balance, treasury shares (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013	(9,467,286)		(9,467,286)
Beginning balance, treasury shares (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013	(9,467,286)		(9,467,286)
Consolidated Statements of Equity
Net income (loss)	$ 12,142
Ending balance, common shares outstanding (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2014	86,993,988
Ending balance at Mar. 31, 2014	$ 1,032,920
Ending balance, treasury shares (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2014	(9,467,286)
Beginning balance, common shares outstanding (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013	86,725,372	86,725,372
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 1,021,058	$ 8,672	$ (150,000)	6,002	822,836	341,865	(13,286)	1,016,089	4,969
Beginning balance, treasury shares (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013	(9,467,286)		(9,467,286)
Consolidated Statements of Equity
Net income (loss)	$ 45,730
Ending balance, common shares outstanding (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2014	87,036,192
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2014	$ 1,089,059
Ending balance, treasury shares (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2014	(5,262,831)
Beginning balance, common shares outstanding (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013	86,725,372	86,725,372
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 1,021,058	$ 8,672	$ (150,000)	6,002	822,836	341,865	(13,286)	1,016,089	4,969
Beginning balance, treasury shares (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013	(9,467,286)		(9,467,286)
Consolidated Statements of Equity
Net income (loss)	$ 94,855
Ending balance, common shares outstanding (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2014	87,106,042
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2014	$ 1,130,340
Ending balance, treasury shares (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2014	(5,262,831)
Beginning balance, common shares outstanding (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013	86,725,372	86,725,372
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 1,021,058	$ 8,672	$ (150,000)	6,002	822,836	341,865	(13,286)	1,016,089	4,969
Beginning balance, treasury shares (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013	(9,467,286)		(9,467,286)
Consolidated Statements of Equity
Net income (loss)	$ 115,549					115,923		115,923	(374)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(20,718)						(20,718)	(20,718)
Non-cash stock-based compensation	15,950				15,950			15,950
Income tax effect from stock-based compensation	2,484				2,484			2,484
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		210,900
Exercise of stock options	2,246	$ 21			2,225			2,246
Issuance of restricted shares (in shares)		659,212
Issuance of restricted shares	0	$ 66			(66)			0
Other stock issuances, net (in shares)		19,471
Other stock issuances, net	(1,137)	$ 3			(1,140)			(1,137)
Contributed shares	0			(6,002)	6,002			0
Issuance of treasury stock for convertible notes (in shares)			6,590,975
Issuance of treasury stock for convertible notes	104,427		$ 104,427					104,427
Conversion of convertible notes	(91,784)				(91,784)			(91,784)
Other activity	$ 0				181			181	(181)
Ending balance, common shares outstanding (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014	87,614,955	87,614,955
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 1,148,075	$ 8,762	$ (45,573)	0	756,688	457,788	(34,004)	1,143,661	4,414
Ending balance, treasury shares (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014	(2,876,311)		(2,876,311)
Beginning balance, common shares outstanding (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2014	86,993,988
Beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2014	$ 1,032,920
Beginning balance, treasury shares (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2014	(9,467,286)
Consolidated Statements of Equity
Net income (loss)	$ 33,589
Ending balance, common shares outstanding (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2014	87,036,192
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2014	$ 1,089,059
Ending balance, treasury shares (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2014	(5,262,831)
Beginning balance, treasury shares (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2014	(5,262,831)
Consolidated Statements of Equity
Net income (loss)	$ 49,125
Ending balance, common shares outstanding (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2014	87,106,042
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2014	$ 1,130,340
Ending balance, treasury shares (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2014	(5,262,831)
Beginning balance, treasury shares (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2014	(5,262,831)
Ending balance, common shares outstanding (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014	87,614,955	87,614,955
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 1,148,075	$ 8,762	$ (45,573)	$ 0	$ 756,688	$ 457,788	$ (34,004)	$ 1,143,661	$ 4,414
Ending balance, treasury shares (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014	(2,876,311)		(2,876,311)