Borrowings - Narrative (Details) TEUs in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) shares loan_facility	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($) shares	Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2012 USD ($)	Oct. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Nov. 10, 2014 lender	Feb. 01, 2013 USD ($)	Jul. 17, 2012 TEUs	Jan. 15, 2010 USD ($)	Jun. 15, 2006 USD ($)
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity	$ 101,300,000								$ 101,300,000
Senior Notes [Abstract]
Beazer homes' ownership interest in guarantor subsidiaries	100.00%								100.00%
Minimum consolidated tangible net worth	$ 85,000,000								$ 85,000,000
Consolidated Tangible Net Worth	612,500,000								612,500,000
Total debt (net of discounts of $3,639 and $4,399, respectively)	1,528,275,000				$ 1,535,433,000				1,528,275,000	$ 1,535,433,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt	80,000	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	0	$ 19,764,000	$ 153,000	$ 0	80,000	19,917,000	$ 4,636,000
Junior Subordinated Notes [Abstract]
Unamortized accretion	3,639,000				4,399,000				3,639,000	4,399,000
Secured Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Outstanding borrowings under Secured Revolving Credit Facility	28,700,000								28,700,000
Secured Debt [Abstract]
Long-term debt	$ 0								$ 0
Senior Notes
Senior Notes [Abstract]
Debt Instrument, Original Percentage of Debt That Could Be Repurchased	10.00%								10.00%
Debt Instrument, Original Amount of Debt That Could Be Repurchased	$ 27,500,000								$ 27,500,000
Total debt (net of discounts of $3,639 and $4,399, respectively)	1,427,240,000				1,435,183,000				1,427,240,000	1,435,183,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt											$ 3,600,000
Junior Subordinated Notes [Abstract]
Unamortized accretion	3,639,000				4,399,000				3,639,000	4,399,000
Senior Notes | 8 1/8% Senior Notes Maturing June 2016
Senior Notes [Abstract]
Total debt (net of discounts of $3,639 and $4,399, respectively)	$ 170,879,000				$ 172,879,000				$ 170,879,000	$ 172,879,000
Debt instrument stated interest rate (percent)	8.125%				8.125%				8.125%	8.125%
Early Repayment of Senior Debt												$ 2,000,000
Senior Notes | 5 3/4% Senior Notes Maturing June 2019
Senior Notes [Abstract]
Total debt (net of discounts of $3,639 and $4,399, respectively)	$ 325,000,000				$ 325,000,000				$ 325,000,000	$ 325,000,000
Debt instrument stated interest rate (percent)	5.75%				5.75%				5.75%	5.75%
Debt instrument redemption price (percent)	100.00%								100.00%
Percent of original debt amount required to be offered for repurchase (percent)	35.00%								35.00%
Senior Notes | 5 3/4% Senior Notes Maturing June 2019 | In Compliance
Senior Notes [Abstract]
Debt instrument redemption price (percent)	100.00%				101.00%				100.00%	101.00%
Senior Notes | 5 3/4% Senior Notes Maturing June 2019 | Optional Redemption Under Indenture
Senior Notes [Abstract]
Debt instrument redemption price (percent)	105.75%								105.75%
Percent of original debt amount required to be offered for repurchase (percent)	65.00%								65.00%
Senior Notes | 9 1/8% Senior Notes Maturing June 2018
Senior Notes [Abstract]
Debt instrument stated interest rate (percent)	9.125%				9.125%				9.125%	9.125%
Make Whole Payment									$ 17,200,000
Outstanding debt that was redeemed or repurchased	$ 2,000,000								2,000,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt										$ (19,800,000)
Senior Notes | 7 1/4% Senior Notes Maturing February 2023
Senior Notes [Abstract]
Total debt (net of discounts of $3,639 and $4,399, respectively)	$ 200,000,000				$ 200,000,000				$ 200,000,000	$ 200,000,000
Debt instrument stated interest rate (percent)	7.25%				7.25%				7.25%	7.25%					7.25%
Junior Subordinated Notes [Abstract]
Aggregate principal amount of debt															$ 200,000,000
Senior Notes | 7 1/2% Senior Notes Maturing September 2021
Senior Notes [Abstract]
Total debt (net of discounts of $3,639 and $4,399, respectively)	$ 200,000,000				$ 200,000,000				$ 200,000,000	$ 200,000,000
Debt instrument stated interest rate (percent)	7.50%				7.50%				7.50%	7.50%
Senior Notes | 6 7/8% Senior Notes Maturing July 2015
Senior Notes [Abstract]
Debt instrument stated interest rate (percent)	6.875%								6.875%
Senior Notes | 6 5/8% Senior Secured Notes Maturing April 2018
Senior Notes [Abstract]
Total debt (net of discounts of $3,639 and $4,399, respectively)	$ 300,000,000				$ 300,000,000				$ 300,000,000	$ 300,000,000
Debt instrument stated interest rate (percent)	6.625%				6.625%				6.625%	6.625%
Senior Notes | Tangible Equity Units
Senior Notes [Abstract]
Debt instrument stated interest rate (percent)																7.50%
Stock Exchange, Debt Related to Tangible Equity Unit					$ 2,400,000					$ 2,400,000
Debt Instrument, Convertible, Number of Equity Instruments | shares									5,200,000
Tangible Equity Units TEUs Converted | shares										890,000
Tangible Equity Units (TEUs) issued during period (units) | TEUs																4.6
Junior Subordinated Notes
Senior Notes [Abstract]
Total debt (net of discounts of $3,639 and $4,399, respectively)	$ 57,803,000				55,737,000				$ 57,803,000	$ 55,737,000
Debt instrument stated interest rate (percent)																		7.987%
Junior Subordinated Notes [Abstract]
Aggregate principal amount of debt																	$ 75,000,000	$ 103,100,000
Effective period of debt instrument interest rate									10 years
Unamortized accretion	43,000,000								$ 43,000,000
Letter of Credit, Cash Secured
Senior Notes [Abstract]
Total debt (net of discounts of $3,639 and $4,399, respectively)	22,368,000								$ 22,368,000
Junior Subordinated Notes [Abstract]
Number of loan facilities | loan_facility									2
Three-month LIBOR									LIBOR
Spread on three-month LIBOR rate (percent)									0.40%
Other Secured Notes Payable
Senior Notes [Abstract]
Total debt (net of discounts of $3,639 and $4,399, respectively)	$ 20,864,000				22,145,000				$ 20,864,000	22,145,000
Secured Debt [Abstract]
Weighted average fixed interest rate of debt (percent)	4.72%								4.72%
Secured Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity	$ 130,000,000								$ 130,000,000
Number of lenders | lender														3
Line of Credit, Current	20,000,000								20,000,000
Inventory assets pledged as collateral	1,000,000,000								1,000,000,000
Outstanding borrowings under Secured Revolving Credit Facility	0								0
Secured Revolving Credit Facility | Subsequent Event
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity													$ 145,000,000
Letter of Credit
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Letters of credit secured using cash collateral	$ 14,400,000				$ 39,100,000				$ 14,400,000	$ 39,100,000