Real Estate Entities and Investments in Affiliates - Investments in Affiliates (Details) (USD $)							3 Months Ended										3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2014 Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member] project	Mar. 31, 2013 Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] Other Affiliates [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] Other Affiliates [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] Other Affiliates [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] Equity Method investments in Real Estate Affiliates [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] Equity Method investments in Real Estate Affiliates [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] Equity Method investments in Real Estate Affiliates [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] Minimum [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] Maximum [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Other Partners Interest in Partnerships [Member] Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]		Mar. 31, 2013 Other Partners Interest in Partnerships [Member] Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]		Mar. 31, 2014 Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]	Mar. 31, 2013 Reporting Entitys Interest in Joint Venture [Member] Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] Minimum [Member] Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]	Mar. 31, 2014 Real Estate Segment [Member] Joint Venture Unconsolidated [Member] Maximum [Member] Real Estate Entities [Member] Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates [Line Items]
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Revenue							$ 349,167,000	$ 225,304,000									$ 259,857,000	[1]	$ 153,704,000	[1]	$ 89,310,000	$ 71,600,000
Investments in affiliates	33,336,000	32,480,000	30,742,000	33,336,000	32,480,000	30,742,000			10,983,000	11,088,000	10,763,000	22,353,000	21,392,000	19,979,000
Real Estate Development Projects Range of Total Assets																							2,700,000	54,000,000
Equity Method Investment, Summarized Financial Information, Assets				172,763,000	173,988,000	160,133,000
Equity Method Investments Summarized Financial Information Net Assets				95,561,000	99,444,000	90,605,000
Equity Method Investments			14,200,000	15,900,000	14,900,000				33,336,000	32,480,000	30,742,000
Number of projects							11
Investments in affiliates															300,000	24,800,000
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Cost of Revenue							297,461,000	158,695,000									210,906,000	[1]	104,333,000	[1]	86,555,000	54,362,000
Unconsolidated Construction Joint Venture Gross Profit Loss																					$ 2,755,000	$ 17,238,000

[1] Partners’ interest represents amounts to reconcile total revenue and total cost of revenue as reported by our partners to Granite’s interest adjusted to reflect our accounting policies.