Supplemental Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statement Of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 5,826,000	$ 218,029,000	$ 124,139,000
Cash flows used in investing activities:
Cash paid for acquisitions, net, including contingent consideration	(85,395,000)	(75,896,000)	(157,619,000)
Capital expenditures	(71,710,000)	(30,383,000)	(21,859,000)
Proceeds from sale of assets	6,227,000	7,037,000	4,171,000
Proceeds from sales or redemptions of investments	4,600,000	7,044,000
Investments in life insurance policies	(284,000)	(478,000)	(717,000)
Net cash used in investing activities	(146,562,000)	(104,280,000)	(176,024,000)
Cash flows (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from credit facility	370,411,000		35,682,000
Repayments of credit facility	(310,411,000)		(78,150,000)
Proceeds from other borrowings and overdrafts incurred	14,906,000	13,543,000
Repayments of other borrowings	(13,956,000)	(27,170,000)	(71,436,000)
Payments of capital lease obligations	(16,458,000)	(14,460,000)	(2,711,000)
Proceeds from stock options exercises and other share-based awards	12,542,000	3,515,000	3,971,000
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation	7,766,000
Purchases of treasury stock	(75,000,000)
Payments of financing costs	(6,589,000)	(169,000)	(9,079,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(16,789,000)	(24,741,000)	93,277,000
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(157,525,000)	89,008,000	41,392,000
Net effect of currency translation on cash	201,000	75,000	(134,000)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	177,604,000	88,521,000	47,263,000
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	20,280,000	177,604,000	88,521,000
MasTec, Inc [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(939,000)
Cash flows used in investing activities:
Cash paid for acquisitions, net, including contingent consideration	(31,236,000)
Investments in life insurance policies	(284,000)
Net cash used in investing activities	(31,520,000)
Cash flows (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from stock options exercises and other share-based awards	12,542,000
Purchases of treasury stock	(75,000,000)
Net financing activities and advances (to) from consolidated affiliates	94,917,000
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	32,459,000
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	21,729,000
Cash flows used in investing activities:
Cash paid for acquisitions, net, including contingent consideration	(44,716,000)
Capital expenditures	(71,615,000)
Proceeds from sale of assets	5,887,000
Proceeds from sales or redemptions of investments	4,600,000
Net cash used in investing activities	(105,844,000)
Cash flows (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from credit facility	370,411,000
Repayments of credit facility	(310,411,000)
Proceeds from other borrowings and overdrafts incurred	14,906,000
Repayments of other borrowings	(13,956,000)
Payments of capital lease obligations	(16,422,000)
Excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation	7,766,000
Payments of financing costs	(6,589,000)
Net financing activities and advances (to) from consolidated affiliates	(122,573,000)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(76,868,000)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(160,983,000)
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	177,223,000
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	16,240,000
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(14,964,000)
Cash flows used in investing activities:
Cash paid for acquisitions, net, including contingent consideration	(9,443,000)
Capital expenditures	(95,000)
Proceeds from sale of assets	340,000
Net cash used in investing activities	(9,198,000)
Cash flows (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of capital lease obligations	(36,000)
Net financing activities and advances (to) from consolidated affiliates	27,656,000
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	27,620,000
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	3,458,000
Net effect of currency translation on cash	201,000
Cash and cash equivalents - beginning of period	381,000
Cash and cash equivalents - end of period	$ 4,040,000