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Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2015
Aug. 01, 2012
Apr. 11, 2013
May 17, 2012
Jul. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2014
Oct. 31, 2014
Loss Contingencies              
Surety bonds $ 333,500,000abm_SuretyBonds            
Total guarantees 27,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure           30,400,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure
Subsidiary of Limited Liability Company or Limited Partnership, Ownership Interest 33.00%us-gaap_SubsidiaryOfLimitedLiabilityCompanyOrLimitedPartnershipOwnershipInterest            
Loss contingency amount accrued for probable losses 3,400,000us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue            
Amount of reasonably possible losses, Minimum 0us-gaap_LossContingencyRangeOfPossibleLossMinimum            
Amount of reasonably possible losses, Maximum 4,500,000us-gaap_LossContingencyRangeOfPossibleLossMaximum            
Loss Contingency Damages Awarded Percent   30.00%abm_LossContingencyDamagesAwardedPercent          
Contract Dispute, Work Performed by a Third Party Administrative              
Loss Contingencies              
Loss contingency amount accrued for probable losses 2,300,000us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue
/ abm_LitigationClaimNameAxis
= abm_CaseallegingcertainwageandhourviolationsMember
           
Augustus [Member] | Motion against others              
Loss Contingencies              
Damages sought amount   4,500,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue
/ abm_LitigationClaimNameAxis
= abm_AugustusMember
/ us-gaap_LitigationStatusAxis
= abm_LegalClaimOneMember
         
Bojorquez              
Loss Contingencies              
Payment awarded to plaintiffs     2,500,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesAwardedValue
/ abm_LitigationClaimNameAxis
= abm_BojorquezMember
800,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesAwardedValue
/ abm_LitigationClaimNameAxis
= abm_BojorquezMember
     
Effective date starting after July 31, 2014              
Loss Contingencies              
Surety bonds 6,100,000abm_SuretyBonds
/ abm_PeriodAxis
= abm_FuturePeriodTwoMember
           
Standby Letters of Credit              
Loss Contingencies              
Standby letters of credit 114,300,000us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StandbyLettersOfCreditMember
          114,900,000us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StandbyLettersOfCreditMember
Parental [Member]              
Loss Contingencies              
Total guarantees 35,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsMaximumExposure
/ abm_TypeAxis
= abm_ParentalMember
           
Augustus [Member]              
Loss Contingencies              
Payment awarded to plaintiffs   89,700,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesAwardedValue
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= abm_AugustusMember
    89,700,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesAwardedValue
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= abm_AugustusMember
   
Augustus [Member] | Reversed [Member]              
Loss Contingencies              
Payment awarded to plaintiffs           $ 89,700,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesAwardedValue
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= abm_AugustusMember
/ us-gaap_LitigationStatusAxis
= abm_ReversedMember