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Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
0 Months Ended 1 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Jul. 31, 2012
Feb. 08, 2012
Jan. 14, 2013
Apr. 11, 2013
May 17, 2012
Oct. 31, 2014
Oct. 31, 2013
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]              
Surety bonds           $ 339,700,000abm_SuretyBonds  
Total letters of credit           114,900,000us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount 100,600,000us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Total guarantees           30,400,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure 37,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure
Loss contingency amount accrued for probable losses           5,100,000us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue  
Amount of reasonably possible losses, Minimum           0us-gaap_LossContingencyRangeOfPossibleLossMinimum  
Amount of reasonably possible losses, Maximum           98,800,000us-gaap_LossContingencyRangeOfPossibleLossMaximum  
Effective date starting after October 31, 2013              
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]              
Surety bonds           6,900,000abm_SuretyBonds
/ abm_PeriodAxis
= abm_FuturePeriodTwoMember
 
Contract dispute, work performed by a third party administrative              
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]              
Loss contingency amount accrued for probable losses           3,400,000us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue
/ abm_LitigationClaimNameAxis
= abm_ContractDisputeWorkPerformedByAThirdPartyAdministrativeMember
 
Augustus              
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]              
Loss Contingency, estimate of possible loss           94,200,000us-gaap_LossContingencyEstimateOfPossibleLoss
/ abm_LitigationClaimNameAxis
= abm_AugustusMember
 
Damages sought amount   103,100,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue
/ abm_LitigationClaimNameAxis
= abm_AugustusMember
         
Payment awarded to plaintiffs 89,700,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesAwardedValue
/ abm_LitigationClaimNameAxis
= abm_AugustusMember
           
Augustus | Motion against others              
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]              
Damages sought amount 12,400,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue
/ abm_LitigationClaimNameAxis
= abm_AugustusMember
/ us-gaap_LitigationStatusAxis
= abm_LegalClaimOneMember
  4,500,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue
/ abm_LitigationClaimNameAxis
= abm_AugustusMember
/ us-gaap_LitigationStatusAxis
= abm_LegalClaimOneMember
       
Bojorquez              
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]              
Payment awarded to plaintiffs       $ 2,500,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesAwardedValue
/ abm_LitigationClaimNameAxis
= abm_BojorquezMember
$ 800,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesAwardedValue
/ abm_LitigationClaimNameAxis
= abm_BojorquezMember