Controlling Shareholder	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Controlling Shareholder [Abstract]
Controlling Shareholder	3. CONTROLLING SHAREHOLDER At September 30, 2016, Tontine was the controlling shareholder of the Company’s common stock. Accordingly, Tontine has the ability to exercise significant control over our affairs, including the election of directors and most actions requiring the approval of shareholders. While Tontine is subject to restrictions under federal securities laws on sales of its shares as an affiliate, in 2013, the Company filed a shelf registration statement pursuant to a registration rights agreement to register certain of Tontine’s shares. The shelf registration statement was declared effective by the SEC on June 18, 2013. As long as the shelf registration statement remains effective, Tontine has the ability to resell any or all of its registered shares from time to time in one or more offerings, as described in the shelf registration statement and in any prospectus supplement filed in connection with an offering pursuant to the shelf registration statement. Should Tontine sell or otherwise dispose of all or a portion of its position in IES, a change in ownership could occur. A change in ownership, as defined by Internal Revenue Code Section 382, could reduce the availability of net operating losses (“NOLs”) for federal and state income tax purposes. On November 8, 2016, the Company implemented a new tax benefit protection plan (the “NOL Rights Plan”), following expiration of the Company’s prior tax benefit protection plan, which was implemented in January 2013. Like the prior plan, the NOL Rights Plan was designed to deter an acquisition of the Company's stock in excess of a threshold amount that could trigger a change of control within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 382. There can be no assurance that the NOL Rights Plan will be effective in deterring a change of control or protecting the NOLs. Furthermore, a change in control would trigger the change of control provisions in a number of our material agreements, including our credit facility, bonding agreements with our sureties and our severance arrangements. Jeffrey L. Gendell was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors and as non-executive Chairman of the Board in November 2016. He is the managing member and founder of Tontine and the brother of David B. Gendell, who has served as a member of the Board of Directors since February 2012 as non-executive Vice Chairman of the Board since November 2016 and as the Company’s non-executive Chairman of the Board from January 2015 to November 2016. David B. Gendell is also an employee of Tontine.

3. CONTROLLING SHAREHOLDER

At September 30, 2016, Tontine was the controlling shareholder of the Company’s common stock. Accordingly, Tontine has the ability to exercise significant control over our affairs, including the election of directors and most actions requiring the approval of shareholders.

While Tontine is subject to restrictions under federal securities laws on sales of its shares as an affiliate, in 2013, the Company filed a shelf registration statement pursuant to a registration rights agreement to register certain of Tontine’s shares. The shelf registration statement was declared effective by the SEC on June 18, 2013. As long as the shelf registration statement remains effective, Tontine has the ability to resell any or all of its registered shares from time to time in one or more offerings, as described in the shelf registration statement and in any prospectus supplement filed in connection with an offering pursuant to the shelf registration statement.

Should Tontine sell or otherwise dispose of all or a portion of its position in IES, a change in ownership could occur. A change in ownership, as defined by Internal Revenue Code Section 382, could reduce the availability of net operating losses (“NOLs”) for federal and state income tax purposes. On November 8, 2016, the Company implemented a new tax benefit protection plan (the “NOL Rights Plan”), following expiration of the Company’s prior tax benefit protection plan, which was implemented in January 2013. Like the prior plan, the NOL Rights Plan was designed to deter an acquisition of the Company's stock in excess of a threshold amount that could trigger a change of control within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 382. There can be no assurance that the NOL Rights Plan will be effective in deterring a change of control or protecting the NOLs. Furthermore, a change in control would trigger the change of control provisions in a number of our material agreements, including our credit facility, bonding agreements with our sureties and our severance arrangements.

Jeffrey L. Gendell was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors and as non-executive Chairman of the Board in November 2016. He is the managing member and founder of Tontine and the brother of David B. Gendell, who has served as a member of the Board of Directors since February 2012 as non-executive Vice Chairman of the Board since November 2016 and as the Company’s non-executive Chairman of the Board from January 2015 to November 2016. David B. Gendell is also an employee of Tontine.