Contract Assets and Liabilities - Schedule of Change in Contract Liability Balance (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Revenue From Contract With Customer [Abstract]
Balance at January 1, 2018	$ 83,674
Change in the measure of progress on projects, net	(218,024)
Revisions in estimates, net	(2,413)
Billings	208,085
Change in provision for loss, net	(292)
Balance at March 31, 2018	$ 71,030

Contract with customer billings liability.

No definition available.

Name:	gva_ContractWithCustomerBillingsLiability
Namespace Prefix:	gva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Contract With Customer Liabilities Accumulated Allowance For Credit Loss

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gva_ContractWithCustomerLiabilitiesAccumulatedAllowanceForCreditLoss
Namespace Prefix:	gva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Contract with customer liability balance.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	gva_ContractWithCustomerLiabilityBalance
Namespace Prefix:	gva_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in revenue recognized for cumulative catch-up adjustment from change in estimate of transaction price which (increases) decreases obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration from customer has been received or is due. Includes, but is not limited to, change in assessment of whether estimate of variable consideration is constrained.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82913847&loc=SL49130551-203045

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractWithCustomerLiabilityCumulativeCatchUpAdjustmentToRevenueChangeInEstimateOfTransactionPrice
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in revenue recognized for cumulative catch-up adjustment from change in measure of progress which (increases) decreases obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration from customer has been received or is due.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractWithCustomerLiabilityCumulativeCatchUpAdjustmentToRevenueChangeInMeasureOfProgress
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RevenueFromContractWithCustomerAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration