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Acquisitions - 2013 Acquisitions (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended |
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Dec. 31, 2013 | May 02, 2013
Big Country [Member] |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |
Effective date of acquisition | May 01, 2013 |
Business combination, percentage of voting interests acquired |  | 100.00%
Business acquisition, name of acquired entity | Big Country Energy Services, Inc. and its affiliated operating companies (collectively, "Big Country") |
Business acquisition, description of acquired entity | Big Country is a North American oil and gas pipeline and facility construction services company, headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Big Country also has construction offices in Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan, Canada, as well as in Wyoming and North Dakota. Big Country's services include oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids gathering systems and pipeline construction; pipeline modification and replacement services; compressor and pumping station construction; and other related services supporting the oil and gas production, processing and transportation industries. |
Business combination, goodwill recognized, description | Goodwill arising from the acquisition represents the estimated value of Big Country's geographic presence in key high growth Canadian markets, its assembled workforce, its management team's industry-specific project management expertise and synergies expected to be achieved from the combined operations of Big Country and MasTec. |
Business combination, goodwill, expected tax deductible amount |  | $ 4,000,000
Big Country [Member] | Earn-out Arrangements [Member] |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |
Business combination, contingent consideration arrangements, basis for amount | The contingent earn-out obligation is equal to 25% of the excess, if any, of Big Country’s EBITDA above certain thresholds for a five-year period, as set forth in the purchase agreement, and is payable annually in cash. |
Earn-out period |  | 5 years
Fair value measurements, significant assumptions | The fair value of the earn-out liability was estimated using an income approach and incorporates significant inputs not observable in the market. Key assumptions in the estimated valuation include the discount rate and probability-weighted EBITDA projections. |
Business combination, contingent consideration arrangements, range of outcomes, value, low |  | 1,000,000
Business combination, contingent consideration arrangements, range of outcomes, value, high |  | $ 110,000,000
Business combination, contingent consideration arrangements, range of outcomes, maximum unlimited | there is no maximum earn-out payment amount |
Other 2013 Acquisitions [Member] |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |
Business acquisition, description of acquired entity | Effective April 1, 2013, MasTec acquired a former subcontractor to its wireless business, which will provide self-perform communications tower construction, installation, maintenance and other services in support of telecommunications infrastructure construction in the Company's Communications segment. In addition, effective August 1, 2013, MasTec acquired an electrical transmission services company, which focuses primarily on substation construction activities within the Company's Electrical Transmission segment. |
2014 Acquisitions [Member] |  |
Business Acquisition [Line Items] |  |
Subsequent event, description | Effective January 1, 2014, MasTec acquired a telecommunications services firm that specializes in the engineering, installation, furnishing and integration of telecommunications equipment. This company will be included in the Company’s Communications segment. |

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- Definition With respect to a business combination completed during the period, this element provides a description of the business, other than the name, which may include the industry, size, products and other important information. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25497992&loc=d3e1392-128463 + Details
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- Definition This element represents a qualitative description of the factors that make up the goodwill recognized in a business combination, such as expected synergies by the entity to be derived from combining operations of the acquiree, intangible assets that do not qualify for separate recognition, and such other factors as may apply. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7488404&loc=d3e6927-128479 + Details
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