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Commitments and Contingencies (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015 claim	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2011 transaction
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Letters of credit outstanding	$ 193,400,000us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount	$ 212,100,000us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Surety bonds outstanding	1,000,000,000phm_SuretyBondsOutstanding	1,000,000,000phm_SuretyBondsOutstanding
Maximum product warranty in years	10 years
Pending claims	1,000us-gaap_LossContingencyPendingClaimsNumber
Self-insurance liabilities	720,767,000us-gaap_SelfInsuranceReserve	710,245,000us-gaap_SelfInsuranceReserve	664,411,000us-gaap_SelfInsuranceReserve	668,100,000us-gaap_SelfInsuranceReserve
Incurred but not reported percentage of liability reserves	71.00%phm_IncurredButNotReportedPercentageOfLiabilityReserves	72.00%phm_IncurredButNotReportedPercentageOfLiabilityReserves
Residential mortgage backed securities known
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Residential mortgage-backed securities transactions					2phm_ResidentialMortgagebackedSecuritiesTransactions / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = phm_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesKnownMember
Residential mortgage-backed securities principal sold in previous period					162,000,000phm_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesPrincipalSoldInPreviousPeriod / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = phm_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesKnownMember
Residential mortgage backed securities other
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Residential mortgage-backed securities transactions	6phm_ResidentialMortgagebackedSecuritiesTransactions / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = phm_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesOtherMember
Residential mortgage-backed securities principal sold in previous period	$ 116,000,000phm_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesPrincipalSoldInPreviousPeriod / us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis = phm_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesOtherMember

X

- Definition

Incurred but not reported percentage of liability reserves

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Maximum product warranty in years

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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X

- Definition

Principal amount of mortgage loans Company sold in a residential mortgage backed securities transaction that is currently associated with a lawsuit in which the bank the Company sold the loans to has been named a defendant.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	phm_
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X

- Definition

Residential Mortgage-backed Securities Transactions

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	phm_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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X

- Definition

Surety Bonds Outstanding

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	phm_SuretyBondsOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	phm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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- Details

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Balance Type:	na
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X

- Definition

Number of pending claims pertaining to a loss contingency.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 450

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349

+ Details

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X

- Definition

Carrying amount (including both current and noncurrent portions) of accrued known and estimated losses incurred as of the balance sheet date for which no insurance coverage exists, and for which a claim has been made or is probable of being asserted, typically arising from workmen's compensation-type of incidents and personal injury to nonemployees from accidents on the entity's property.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.24)

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

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- Details

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- Details

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