Borrowings - Narrative (Details) (USD $) Share data in Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended				3 Months Ended															3 Months Ended						3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended						9 Months Ended											3 Months Ended						3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012 Tangible Equity Units TEUs	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior Notes	Sep. 30, 2012 Senior Notes	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior Notes 7 1/4% Senior Notes Maturing February 2023 [Member]	Feb. 01, 2013 Senior Notes 7 1/4% Senior Notes Maturing February 2023 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Senior Notes 7 1/4% Senior Notes Maturing February 2023 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior Notes 6.625% Senior Secured Notes	Sep. 30, 2012 Senior Notes 6.625% Senior Secured Notes	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior Notes 9 1/8% Senior Notes Maturing May 2019	Sep. 30, 2012 Senior Notes 9 1/8% Senior Notes Maturing May 2019	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior Notes 6 7/8% Senior Notes Maturing July 2015	Sep. 30, 2012 Senior Notes 6 7/8% Senior Notes Maturing July 2015	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior Notes 9 1/8% Senior Notes Maturing June 2018	Sep. 30, 2012 Senior Notes 9 1/8% Senior Notes Maturing June 2018	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior Notes 8 1/8% Senior Notes Maturing June 2016	Sep. 30, 2012 Senior Notes 8 1/8% Senior Notes Maturing June 2016	Jun. 30, 2012 Senior Notes Tangible Equity Units	Jul. 17, 2012 Senior Notes Tangible Equity Units TEUs	Mar. 31, 2012 Senior Notes Tangible Equity Units TEUs	May 31, 2010 Senior Notes Tangible Equity Units TEUs	Jun. 30, 2013 Convertible Subordinated Debt	Sep. 30, 2012 Convertible Subordinated Debt	Jun. 30, 2012 Convertible Subordinated Debt 7 1/2% Mandatory Convertible Subordinated Notes [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Convertible Subordinated Debt 7 1/2% Mandatory Convertible Subordinated Notes [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Convertible Subordinated Debt 7 1/2% Mandatory Convertible Subordinated Notes [Member]	Jan. 12, 2010 Convertible Subordinated Debt 7 1/2% Mandatory Convertible Subordinated Notes [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Junior Subordinated Notes	Sep. 30, 2012 Junior Subordinated Notes	Jan. 15, 2010 Junior Subordinated Notes	Jun. 15, 2006 Junior Subordinated Notes	Jun. 30, 2013 Cash Secured Loan	Sep. 30, 2012 Cash Secured Loan	Jun. 30, 2013 Other Secured Notes Payable	Sep. 30, 2012 Other Secured Notes Payable	Jun. 30, 2013 Secured Revolving Credit Facility	Sep. 30, 2012 Secured Revolving Credit Facility	Jun. 30, 2012 Secured Revolving Credit Facility	Jun. 30, 2013 Letter of Credit	Sep. 30, 2012 Letter of Credit	Jun. 30, 2013 Minimum [Member] Senior Notes 7 1/4% Senior Notes Maturing February 2023 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Maximum Senior Notes 7 1/4% Senior Notes Maturing February 2023 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Common Stock	Jun. 30, 2012 Common Stock	Mar. 31, 2012 Common Stock	Jun. 30, 2013 In Compliance [Member] Senior Notes 7 1/4% Senior Notes Maturing February 2023 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Optional Redemption Under Indenture [Member] Senior Notes 7 1/4% Senior Notes Maturing February 2023 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Optional Redemption Under Indenture [Member] Senior Notes 6 7/8% Senior Notes Maturing July 2015	Jun. 30, 2013 Subsequent Event Common Stock	Mar. 31, 2013 Subsequent Event Common Stock	Jun. 30, 2013 Debt Instrument, Convertible, Stock Price Trigger Range One [Member] 7 1/2% Mandatory Convertible Subordinated Notes [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Debt Instrument, Convertible, Stock Price Trigger, Range Two [Member] 7 1/2% Mandatory Convertible Subordinated Notes [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Credit facility borrowing capacity																																									$ 150,000,000	$ 22,000,000	$ 220,000,000
Amount of available borrowings under the Secured Revolving Credit Facility																																								150,000,000
Inventory assets pledged as collateral																																								1,000,000,000
Outstanding borrowings under the Secured Revolving Credit Facility																																								0	0
Letters of credit secured using cash collateral																																											22,700,000	24,700,000
Senior Notes [Abstract]
Beazer homes' ownership interest in guarantor subsidiaries (less than 10% in Inspirada Builders LLC)	100.00%		100.00%
Percent of original debt amount required to be offered for repurchase (percent)									35.00%																																										65.00%
Minimum consolidated tangible net worth	85,000,000		85,000,000
Amount of original debt that could be repurchased							27,500,000
Consolidated tangible net worth	202,400,000		202,400,000							200,000,000
Aggregate principal amount of debt																															57,500,000			75,000,000	103,100,000
Debt instrument stated interest rate (percent)									7.25%	7.25%	0.00%	6.625%	6.625%	9.125%	9.125%	6.875%	6.875%	9.125%	9.125%	8.125%	8.125%		7.50%		7.25%							7.987%
Loss on extinguishment of debt	0	0	(3,638,000)	(2,747,000)			(3,600,000)															(700,000)
Outstanding debt instrument principal amount redeemed																		2,000,000																		5,000,000	20,000,000
Shares exchanged for common stock																																																	2.8
Tangible Capital [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Stock Price Trigger																																																							$ 14.50	$ 17.75
Tangible Equity Units (TEUs) issued during period, (units)						4,600,000																	4,600,000	2,800,000	3,000,000
Senior amortizing notes exchanged for Tangible Equity Units																								7,200,000
Convertible Subordinated Debt [Abstract]
Fixed conversion ratio (shares per $25)																														0.8909																									1.72414	1.40746
Number of common stock exchanged for debt (shares)																																															0.6	2.2	2.2				0.4	0.4
Value of convertible debt exchanged for common stock																												48,100,000	48,100,000
Inducement expense recognized																												2,000,000
Junior Subordinated Notes [Abstract]
Effective period of debt instrument interest rate																																10 years
Debt instrument redemption price (percent)									100.00%																																				100.00%	103.625%				101.00%	107.25%	101.146%
Unamortized accretion	2,341,000		2,341,000		3,082,000		2,341,000	3,082,000																								(47,600,000)
Secured Debt [Abstract]
Three-month LIBOR																																				LIBOR
Long-term debt	$ 1,505,656,000		$ 1,505,656,000		$ 1,498,198,000		$ 1,221,647,000	$ 1,201,067,000																		$ 0	$ 9,402,000			$ 9,400,000		$ 53,153,000	$ 51,603,000			$ 222,368,000	$ 227,368,000	$ 8,488,000	$ 8,758,000
Weighted average fixed interest rate of debt (percent)																																						3.91%
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate																																				0.40%