Supplemental Guarantor Information (Level 4 BS) (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Oct. 31, 2013	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 772,972	$ 778,824	$ 906,340	$ 1,039,060
Marketable securities	52,508	439,068
Restricted cash	32,036	47,276
Inventory	4,650,412	3,732,703
Property, construction and office equipment, net	131,320	109,971
Receivables, prepaid expenses and other assets	229,295	173,042
Mortgage loans receivable	113,517	86,386
Customer deposits held in escrow	46,888	29,579
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	403,133	330,617
Investments in distressed loans	36,374	37,169
Real Estate Owned - total	72,972	58,353
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates, Amount of Equity	0	0
Deferred tax assets, net	286,032	358,056
Total assets	6,827,459	6,181,044
Liabilities:
Loans payable	107,222	99,817
Senior notes	2,321,442	2,080,463
Mortgage company warehouse loan	75,000	72,664
Customer deposits	212,669	142,977
Accounts payable	167,787	99,911
Accrued expenses	522,987	476,350
Advances from Affiliiate	0	0
Income taxes payable	81,188	80,991
Total liabilities	3,488,295	3,053,173
Equity:
Common stock	1,694	1,687
Additional paid-in capital	441,677	404,418
Retained earnings	2,892,003	2,721,397
Treasury stock, at cost -- 0 shares and 53 shares at October 31, 2013 and October 31, 2012, respectively	0	(983)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(2,387)	(4,819)
Total stockholders' equity	3,332,987	3,121,700
Noncontrolling interest	6,177	6,171
Total equity	3,339,164	3,127,871	2,592,551	2,559,013
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	6,827,459	6,181,044
Toll Brothers Inc. [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Marketable securities
Restricted cash	15,182	28,268
Inventory
Property, construction and office equipment, net
Receivables, prepaid expenses and other assets	33	134
Mortgage loans receivable
Customer deposits held in escrow
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities
Investments in distressed loans
Real Estate Owned - total
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates, Amount of Equity	3,113,203	2,816,607
Deferred tax assets, net	286,032	358,056
Total assets	3,414,450	3,203,065
Liabilities:
Loans payable
Senior notes
Mortgage company warehouse loan
Customer deposits
Accounts payable
Accrued expenses
Advances from Affiliiate
Income taxes payable	81,188	80,991
Total liabilities	81,188	80,991
Equity:
Common stock	1,694	1,687
Additional paid-in capital	441,677	404,418
Retained earnings	2,892,003	2,721,397
Treasury stock, at cost -- 0 shares and 53 shares at October 31, 2013 and October 31, 2012, respectively		(983)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(2,112)	(4,445)
Total stockholders' equity	3,333,262	3,122,074
Noncontrolling interest
Total equity	3,333,262	3,122,074
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	3,414,450	3,203,065
Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Marketable securities
Restricted cash
Inventory
Property, construction and office equipment, net
Receivables, prepaid expenses and other assets	15,675	15,130
Mortgage loans receivable
Customer deposits held in escrow
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities
Investments in distressed loans
Real Estate Owned - total
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates, Amount of Equity	2,334,503	2,092,810
Deferred tax assets, net
Total assets	2,350,178	2,107,940
Liabilities:
Loans payable
Senior notes	2,282,719	2,032,335
Mortgage company warehouse loan
Customer deposits
Accounts payable
Accrued expenses	25,045	27,476
Advances from Affiliiate
Income taxes payable
Total liabilities	2,307,764	2,059,811
Equity:
Common stock
Additional paid-in capital	49,400	49,400
Retained earnings	(6,986)	(1,271)
Treasury stock, at cost -- 0 shares and 53 shares at October 31, 2013 and October 31, 2012, respectively
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
Total stockholders' equity	42,414	48,129
Noncontrolling interest
Total equity	42,414	48,129
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	2,350,178	2,107,940
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	670,102	712,024	777,012	930,405
Marketable securities	42,491	378,858
Restricted cash	16,007	17,561
Inventory	4,625,252	3,711,679
Property, construction and office equipment, net	116,809	106,963
Receivables, prepaid expenses and other assets	101,321	102,409
Mortgage loans receivable
Customer deposits held in escrow	46,888	29,579
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	175,159	180,159
Investments in distressed loans
Real Estate Owned - total
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates, Amount of Equity	4,740	4,740
Deferred tax assets, net
Total assets	5,798,769	5,243,972
Liabilities:
Loans payable	107,222	99,817
Senior notes
Mortgage company warehouse loan
Customer deposits	212,669	142,919
Accounts payable	167,733	99,889
Accrued expenses	355,590	344,555
Advances from Affiliiate	1,627,130	1,385,457
Income taxes payable
Total liabilities	2,470,344	2,072,637
Equity:
Common stock	48	48
Additional paid-in capital
Retained earnings	3,328,629	3,171,654
Treasury stock, at cost -- 0 shares and 53 shares at October 31, 2013 and October 31, 2012, respectively
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(252)	(367)
Total stockholders' equity	3,328,425	3,171,335
Noncontrolling interest
Total equity	3,328,425	3,171,335
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	5,798,769	5,243,972
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	102,870	66,800	129,328	108,655
Marketable securities	10,017	60,210
Restricted cash	847	1,447
Inventory	25,160	21,024
Property, construction and office equipment, net	14,511	3,008
Receivables, prepaid expenses and other assets	131,701	66,810
Mortgage loans receivable	113,517	86,386
Customer deposits held in escrow
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities	227,974	150,458
Investments in distressed loans	36,374	37,169
Real Estate Owned - total	72,972	58,353
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates, Amount of Equity
Deferred tax assets, net
Total assets	735,943	551,665
Liabilities:
Loans payable
Senior notes
Mortgage company warehouse loan	75,000	72,664
Customer deposits		58
Accounts payable	54	22
Accrued expenses	161,402	115,922
Advances from Affiliiate	467,929	348,927
Income taxes payable
Total liabilities	704,385	537,593
Equity:
Common stock	3,006	3,006
Additional paid-in capital	1,734	1,734
Retained earnings	20,664	3,168
Treasury stock, at cost -- 0 shares and 53 shares at October 31, 2013 and October 31, 2012, respectively
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(23)	(7)
Total stockholders' equity	25,381	7,901
Noncontrolling interest	6,177	6,171
Total equity	31,558	14,072
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	735,943	551,665
Eliminations [Member]
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Marketable securities
Restricted cash
Inventory
Property, construction and office equipment, net
Receivables, prepaid expenses and other assets	(19,435)	(11,441)
Mortgage loans receivable
Customer deposits held in escrow
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated entities
Investments in distressed loans
Real Estate Owned - total
Investments in and Advances to Affiliates, Amount of Equity	(5,452,446)	(4,914,157)
Deferred tax assets, net
Total assets	(5,471,881)	(4,925,598)
Liabilities:
Loans payable
Senior notes	38,723	48,128
Mortgage company warehouse loan
Customer deposits
Accounts payable
Accrued expenses	(19,050)	(11,603)
Advances from Affiliiate	(2,095,059)	(1,734,384)
Income taxes payable
Total liabilities	(2,075,386)	(1,697,859)
Equity:
Common stock	(3,054)	(3,054)
Additional paid-in capital	(51,134)	(51,134)
Retained earnings	(3,342,307)	(3,173,551)
Treasury stock, at cost -- 0 shares and 53 shares at October 31, 2013 and October 31, 2012, respectively
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
Total stockholders' equity	(3,396,495)	(3,227,739)
Noncontrolling interest
Total equity	(3,396,495)	(3,227,739)
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ (5,471,881)	$ (4,925,598)