Related Party Transactions - Additional Information (Detail) (Elm Street [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013 Lot	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Elm Street [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related party forward lot purchase agreement purchase price	$ 41,300
Number of related parties for forward lot purchase agreement	1
Market price of developed lots	38,400	54,600	36,100
Expected yield of related party lots	2,400
Development costs to manage property under related party transactions	$ 143	$ 143	$ 143

Expected yield of finished lots with remaining land of related party.

No definition available.

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

Management fee paid to related party for property development.

No definition available.

Name:	nvr_ManagementFeePaidToRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	nvr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Number of related parties for forward lot purchase agreement.

No definition available.

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

Fixed price purchase agreements entered into with related party.

No definition available.

Name:	nvr_RelatedPartyFixedPricePurchaseAgreementPurchasePrice
Namespace Prefix:	nvr_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

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

Purchases during the period (excluding transactions that are eliminated in consolidated or combined financial statements) with related party.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionPurchasesFromRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration