Supplemental Guarantor Financial Information (Condensed Unaudited Consolidating Balance Sheets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Assets
Current assets	$ 1,198,536	$ 1,129,758
Property and equipment, net	547,957	558,667
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	1,189,500	1,187,900
Investments in and advances to consolidated affiliates, net	0	0
Other long-term assets	50,657	51,032
Total assets	2,986,628	2,927,347
Liabilities and equity
Total current liabilities	811,662	752,535
Long-term debt	938,722	932,868
Other long-term liabilities	292,300	298,500
Total liabilities	2,042,767	1,983,956
Total equity	943,861	943,391
Total liabilities and equity	2,986,628	2,927,347
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | MasTec, Inc. [Member]
Assets
Current assets	0	0
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in and advances to consolidated affiliates, net	931,000	930,300
Other long-term assets	9,300	9,300
Total assets	940,300	939,600
Liabilities and equity
Total current liabilities	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	0	0
Total equity	940,300	939,600
Total liabilities and equity	940,300	939,600
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets
Current assets	1,017,800	927,400
Property and equipment, net	437,900	448,200
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	1,043,400	1,047,400
Investments in and advances to consolidated affiliates, net	78,900	103,700
Other long-term assets	19,600	24,400
Total assets	2,597,600	2,551,100
Liabilities and equity
Total current liabilities	679,000	632,900
Long-term debt	909,300	900,100
Other long-term liabilities	257,400	275,500
Total liabilities	1,845,700	1,808,500
Total equity	751,900	742,500
Total liabilities and equity	2,597,600	2,551,000
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Assets
Current assets	180,700	202,400
Property and equipment, net	110,000	110,500
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	146,100	140,500
Investments in and advances to consolidated affiliates, net	76,000	50,600
Other long-term assets	21,800	17,300
Total assets	534,600	521,300
Liabilities and equity
Total current liabilities	132,700	119,600
Long-term debt	29,400	32,800
Other long-term liabilities	34,900	23,000
Total liabilities	197,000	175,400
Total equity	337,600	345,900
Total liabilities and equity	534,600	521,300
Eliminations [Member]
Assets
Current assets	0	0
Property and equipment, net	0	0
Goodwill and other intangible assets, net	0	0
Investments in and advances to consolidated affiliates, net	(1,085,900)	(1,084,600)
Other long-term assets	0	0
Total assets	(1,085,900)	(1,084,600)
Liabilities and equity
Total current liabilities	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0
Other long-term liabilities	0	0
Total liabilities	0	0
Total equity	(1,085,900)	(1,084,600)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (1,085,900)	$ (1,084,600)