Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details 2)

v2.4.1.9
Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details 2) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Letter of credit and surety bond obligations    
Surety Bonds, Outstanding $ 230,166mth_SuretiesOutstanding $ 191,829mth_SuretiesOutstanding
Surety bonds, Estimated work remaining to complete 93,754mth_SuretiesRelatedToUncompletedContracts 86,202mth_SuretiesRelatedToUncompletedContracts
Letters of Credit ("LOCs"):    
Letters of Credit (LOC's) 19,489us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount 42,068us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Sureties related to joint ventures [Member]    
Letter of credit and surety bond obligations    
Surety Bonds, Outstanding 87mth_SuretiesOutstanding
/ mth_LetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsByTypeAxis
= mth_SuretiesRelatedToJointVenturesMember 		87mth_SuretiesOutstanding
/ mth_LetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsByTypeAxis
= mth_SuretiesRelatedToJointVenturesMember
Surety bonds, Estimated work remaining to complete 87mth_SuretiesRelatedToUncompletedContracts
/ mth_LetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsByTypeAxis
= mth_SuretiesRelatedToJointVenturesMember 		87mth_SuretiesRelatedToUncompletedContracts
/ mth_LetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsByTypeAxis
= mth_SuretiesRelatedToJointVenturesMember
Sureties related to owned projects and lots under contract [Member]    
Letter of credit and surety bond obligations    
Surety Bonds, Outstanding 230,079mth_SuretiesOutstanding
/ mth_LetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsByTypeAxis
= mth_SuretiesRelatedToOwnedProjectsAndLotsUnderContractMember 		191,742mth_SuretiesOutstanding
/ mth_LetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsByTypeAxis
= mth_SuretiesRelatedToOwnedProjectsAndLotsUnderContractMember
Surety bonds, Estimated work remaining to complete 93,667mth_SuretiesRelatedToUncompletedContracts
/ mth_LetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsByTypeAxis
= mth_SuretiesRelatedToOwnedProjectsAndLotsUnderContractMember 		86,115mth_SuretiesRelatedToUncompletedContracts
/ mth_LetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsByTypeAxis
= mth_SuretiesRelatedToOwnedProjectsAndLotsUnderContractMember
Letter of Credit in lieu of deposit for contracted lots [Member]    
Letters of Credit ("LOCs"):    
Letters of Credit (LOC's) 1,200us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
/ mth_LetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsByTypeAxis
= mth_LetterofCreditinlieuofdepositforcontractedlotsMemberDomain 		1,685us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
/ mth_LetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsByTypeAxis
= mth_LetterofCreditinlieuofdepositforcontractedlotsMemberDomain
LOCs for land development [Member]    
Letters of Credit ("LOCs"):    
Letters of Credit (LOC's) 13,789us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
/ mth_LetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsByTypeAxis
= mth_LetterOfCreditForLandDevelopmentMember 		35,883us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
/ mth_LetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsByTypeAxis
= mth_LetterOfCreditForLandDevelopmentMember
LOCs for general corporate operations [Member]    
Letters of Credit ("LOCs"):    
Letters of Credit (LOC's) $ 4,500us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
/ mth_LetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsByTypeAxis
= mth_LetterOfCreditForGeneralCorporateOperationsMember 		$ 4,500us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
/ mth_LetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsByTypeAxis
= mth_LetterOfCreditForGeneralCorporateOperationsMember