Segment Information, Nature of Operations, and Certain Concentrations - Additional Information (Detail)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013 MetropolitanArea
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of metropolitan areas Ryan Homes product are sold	27
Revenue derived from Washington, D.C metro area	31.00%
Revenue derived from Baltimore, MD metro area.	15.00%
Senior notes interest rate	3.95%
Senior Notes due 2022 [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Senior notes interest rate	3.95%
Homebuilding [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments	4
Mortgage Banking [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments	1

The number of metropolitan areas that Ryan Homes products are sold in.

No definition available.

Name:	nvr_NumberOfMetropolitanAreasSales
Namespace Prefix:	nvr_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of homebuilding revenue derived from Baltimore, MD metro area.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nvr_PercentageOfRevenueFromBaltimoreMdMetropolitanArea
Namespace Prefix:	nvr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of homebuilding revenue derived from Washington, D.C. metro area.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	nvr_PercentageOfRevenueFromWashingtonDcMetropolitanArea
Namespace Prefix:	nvr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of segments reported by the entity. A reportable segment is a component of an entity for which there is an accounting requirement to report separate financial information on that component in the entity's financial statements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NumberOfReportableSegments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SegmentReportingInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration