Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Organization and Basis of Presentation (Details 1)

v2.4.1.9
Organization and Basis of Presentation (Details 1) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Letter of credit and surety bond obligations    
Surety Bonds, Outstanding $ 249,454mth_SuretiesOutstanding $ 230,166mth_SuretiesOutstanding
Surety bonds, Estimated work remaining to complete 101,756mth_SuretiesRelatedToUncompletedContracts 93,754mth_SuretiesRelatedToUncompletedContracts
Letters of Credit (“LOCs”):    
Letters of Credit (LOC's) 19,712us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount 19,489us-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 249,367mth_SuretiesOutstanding
/ mth_LetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsByTypeAxis
= mth_SuretiesRelatedToOwnedProjectsAndLotsUnderContractMember 		230,079mth_SuretiesOutstanding
/ mth_LetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsByTypeAxis
= mth_SuretiesRelatedToOwnedProjectsAndLotsUnderContractMember
Surety bonds, Estimated work remaining to complete 101,669mth_SuretiesRelatedToUncompletedContracts
/ mth_LetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsByTypeAxis
= mth_SuretiesRelatedToOwnedProjectsAndLotsUnderContractMember 		93,667mth_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 		1,200us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
/ mth_LetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsByTypeAxis
= mth_LetterofCreditinlieuofdepositforcontractedlotsMemberDomain
LOCs for land development [Member]    
Letters of Credit (“LOCs”):    
Letters of Credit (LOC's) 14,012us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
/ mth_LetterOfCreditAndSuretyBondsByTypeAxis
= mth_LetterOfCreditForLandDevelopmentMember 		13,789us-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