Supplemental Guarantor Information - Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	$ (20,845)	$ (178,936)	$ 69,685
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(17,363)	(20,514)	(10,849)
Investments in unconsolidated entities	(2,407)	(1,924)	(5,602)
Return of capital from unconsolidated entities	610	0	0
Increases in restricted cash	(3,260)	(250,839)	(37,439)
Decreases in restricted cash	27,058	12,981	47,700
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	4,638	(260,296)	(6,190)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of debt	(310,387)	(215,376)	(619,806)
Proceeds from issuance of new debt	300,000	246,387	358,700
Proceeds from issuance of cash secured loan	0	247,368	0
Debt issuance costs	(10,845)	(5,172)	(9,234)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net	60,340	0	166,718
Proceeds from issuance of TEU prepaid stock purchase contracts, net	88,361		57,429
Proceeds from issuance of TEU amortizing notes	23,500		15,738
Settlement of unconsolidated entity debt obligation	(15,862)	0	0
Payments for other financing activities	(1,508)	(693)	(3,258)
Dividends paid	0	0
Advances to/from subsidiaries	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	133,599	272,514	(33,713)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	117,392	(166,718)	29,782
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	370,403	537,121	507,339
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	487,795	370,403	537,121
Beazer Homes USA, Inc.
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	(110,429)	(53,850)	(88,344)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	0	0	0
Investments in unconsolidated entities	0	0	0
Return of capital from unconsolidated entities	0
Increases in restricted cash	(2,100)	(249,728)	(36,345)
Decreases in restricted cash	25,919	11,832	46,477
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	23,819	(237,896)	10,132
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of debt	(309,063)	(214,005)	(616,858)
Proceeds from issuance of new debt	300,000	246,387	357,500
Proceeds from issuance of cash secured loan		247,368
Debt issuance costs	(10,845)	(5,172)	(9,234)
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net	60,340		166,718
Proceeds from issuance of TEU prepaid stock purchase contracts, net	88,361		57,429
Proceeds from issuance of TEU amortizing notes	23,500		15,738
Settlement of unconsolidated entity debt obligation	(15,862)
Payments for other financing activities	(1,508)	(693)	(3,258)
Dividends paid	2,300	850
Advances to/from subsidiaries	70,058	(153,113)	145,332
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	207,281	121,622	113,367
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	120,671	(170,124)	35,155
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	360,723	530,847	495,692
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	481,394	360,723	530,847
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	88,806	(126,090)	159,953
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	(17,363)	(20,514)	(10,849)
Investments in unconsolidated entities	(2,407)	(1,924)	(5,602)
Return of capital from unconsolidated entities	610
Increases in restricted cash	(1,160)	(1,111)	(1,094)
Decreases in restricted cash	1,139	1,149	1,223
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(19,181)	(22,400)	(16,322)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of debt	(1,324)	(1,371)	(2,948)
Proceeds from issuance of new debt	0	0	1,200
Proceeds from issuance of cash secured loan		0
Debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net	0		0
Proceeds from issuance of TEU prepaid stock purchase contracts, net	0		0
Proceeds from issuance of TEU amortizing notes	0		0
Settlement of unconsolidated entity debt obligation	0
Payments for other financing activities	0	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Advances to/from subsidiaries	(70,574)	152,006	(145,022)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(71,898)	150,635	(146,770)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(2,273)	2,145	(3,139)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	10,488	8,343	11,482
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	8,215	10,488	8,343
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	778	1,004	(1,924)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	0	0	0
Investments in unconsolidated entities	0	0	0
Return of capital from unconsolidated entities	0
Increases in restricted cash	0	0	0
Decreases in restricted cash	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of debt	0	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of new debt	0	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of cash secured loan		0
Debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net	0		0
Proceeds from issuance of TEU prepaid stock purchase contracts, net	0		0
Proceeds from issuance of TEU amortizing notes	0		0
Settlement of unconsolidated entity debt obligation	0
Payments for other financing activities	0	0	0
Dividends paid	(2,300)	(850)
Advances to/from subsidiaries	1,750	64	(791)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(550)	(786)	(791)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	228	218	(2,715)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	418	200	2,915
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	646	418	200
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities	0	0	0
Cash flows from investing activities:
Capital expenditures	0	0	0
Investments in unconsolidated entities	0	0	0
Return of capital from unconsolidated entities	0
Increases in restricted cash	0	0	0
Decreases in restricted cash	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	0	0	0
Cash flows from financing activities:
Repayment of debt	0	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of new debt	0	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of cash secured loan		0
Debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net	0		0
Proceeds from issuance of TEU prepaid stock purchase contracts, net	0		0
Proceeds from issuance of TEU amortizing notes	0		0
Settlement of unconsolidated entity debt obligation	0
Payments for other financing activities	0	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Advances to/from subsidiaries	(1,234)	1,043	481
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(1,234)	1,043	481
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(1,234)	1,043	481
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	(1,226)	(2,269)	(2,750)
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ (2,460)	$ (1,226)	$ (2,269)