Quarterly Information (Unaudited) Quarterly Financial Information (Unaudited) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 932,300		$ 1,067,300		$ 988,900		$ 738,300		$ 731,600		$ 816,200		$ 709,900		$ 573,600		$ 3,726,789		$ 2,831,292		$ 2,143,024
Income from continuing operations before non-controlling interests	37,600		36,100		31,200		11,700		7,000		30,800		43,400		16,300		116,639		97,456		66,130
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	(1,300)		(9,300)		(1,100)		2,500		1,600		1,000		1,100		4,800		(9,223)		8,516		24,257
Net income attributable to MasTec, Inc.	$ 36,300		$ 26,800		$ 30,100		$ 14,200		$ 8,600		$ 31,800		$ 44,500		$ 21,100		$ 107,426		$ 106,001		$ 90,528
Basic earnings (loss) per share:
Continuing operations	$ 0.50	[1]	$ 0.47	[1]	$ 0.39	[1]	$ 0.15	[1]	$ 0.08	[1]	$ 0.36	[1]	$ 0.52	[1]	$ 0.21	[1]	$ 1.49		$ 1.19		$ 0.87
Discontinued operations	$ (0.02)	[1]	$ (0.12)	[1]	$ (0.01)	[1]	$ 0.03	[1]	$ 0.02	[1]	$ 0.01	[1]	$ 0.01	[1]	$ 0.06	[1]	$ (0.12)		$ 0.10		$ 0.32
Total basic earnings per share	$ 0.48	[1]	$ 0.35	[1]	$ 0.37	[1]	$ 0.18	[1]	$ 0.10	[1]	$ 0.37	[1]	$ 0.53	[1]	$ 0.27	[1]	$ 1.37	[2]	$ 1.29	[2]	$ 1.19	[2]
Diluted earnings (loss) per share:
Continuing operations	$ 0.46	[1]	$ 0.45	[1]	$ 0.38	[1]	$ 0.14	[1]	$ 0.08	[1]	$ 0.35	[1]	$ 0.50	[1]	$ 0.20	[1]	$ 1.42		$ 1.13		$ 0.78
Discontinued operations	$ (0.02)	[1]	$ (0.12)	[1]	$ (0.01)	[1]	$ 0.03	[1]	$ 0.02	[1]	$ 0.01	[1]	$ 0.01	[1]	$ 0.06	[1]	$ (0.11)		$ 0.10		$ 0.27
Total diluted earnings per share	$ 0.45	[1]	$ 0.34	[1]	$ 0.37	[1]	$ 0.17	[1]	$ 0.10	[1]	$ 0.36	[1]	$ 0.51	[1]	$ 0.26	[1]	$ 1.31	[2]	$ 1.23	[2]	$ 1.05	[2]

[1] Note that due to rounding differences, the sum of the Company’s quarterly earnings per share in a given year may not be the same as the Company’s year to date earnings per share for the same period. In addition, earnings per share calculations may contain slight summation differences due to rounding. See Note 2 – Earnings per Share.

[2] Earnings per share tables may contain slight summation differences due to rounding