Revenue - Contract assets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Revenue
Unbilled revenue	$ 243,399	$ 251,429
Retention receivable	100,708	81,393
Contract materials (not yet installed)	16,992	11,984
Contract assets	361,099	$ 344,806
Increase (decrease) in contract assets	$ 16,300

Amount of increase (decrease) in contract with customer asset net current.

No definition available.

Name:	prim_IncreaseDecreaseInContractWithCustomerAssetNetCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	prim_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, after allowance for credit loss, of right to consideration in exchange for good or service transferred to customer when right is conditioned on something other than passage of time, classified as current.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121556615&loc=SL49130531-203044

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121556615&loc=SL49130533-203044

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121604090&loc=SL49130549-203045

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractWithCustomerAssetNetCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before valuation and LIFO reserves, and progress payments, of inventory associated with long-term contracts, expected to be sold, or consumed within one year or operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.6(a),(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InventoryForLongTermContractsOrPrograms
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount to be collected within one year of the balance sheet date (or one operating cycle, if longer) from customers in accordance with the contractual provisions of long-term contracts or programs including amounts billed and unbilled as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.3(c))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReceivablesLongTermContractsOrPrograms
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RevenueFromContractWithCustomerAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount received for services rendered and products shipped, but not yet billed, for non-contractual agreements due within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnbilledReceivablesCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant