Supplemental Guarantor Information (Level 4 CF) (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2014	Jan. 31, 2013
Cash flow used in operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ (250,388)	$ (305,822)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(2,853)	(5,391)
Purchase of marketable securities		(26,019)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities	39,243	38,775
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(60,408)	(7,614)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	32,429	17,311
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(191)	(16,252)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	17,574	3,015
Deposit - acquisition of a business	(161,000)
Proceeds from Dividends Received	0
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(135,206)	3,825
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt	600,000
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs	(4,700)
Proceeds from loans payable	275,334	244,830
Principal payments of loans payable	(307,195)	(299,862)
Redemption of senior notes		(59,068)
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock	220,357
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	18,529	6,108
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities	789
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests	81
Purchase of treasury stock	(84)	(79)
Payments of Dividends	0
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	803,111	(108,071)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	417,517	(410,068)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	772,972	778,824
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	1,190,489	368,756
Toll Brothers Inc. [Member]
Cash flow used in operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	31,235	24,053
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Purchase of marketable securities
Sale and redemption of marketable securities
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Deposit - acquisition of a business
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(270,826)	(30,082)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(270,826)	(30,082)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs
Proceeds from loans payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Redemption of senior notes
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock	220,357
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	18,529	6,108
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities	789
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests
Purchase of treasury stock	(84)	(79)
Payments of Dividends
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	239,591	6,029
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0
Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Cash flow used in operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	23,383	12,155
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Purchase of marketable securities
Sale and redemption of marketable securities
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Deposit - acquisition of a business
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(618,683)	46,913
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(618,683)	46,913
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt	600,000
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs	(4,700)
Proceeds from loans payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Redemption of senior notes		(59,068)
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests
Purchase of treasury stock
Payments of Dividends
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	595,300	(59,068)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow used in operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(279,194)	(377,864)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(2,659)	(5,123)
Purchase of marketable securities		(25,938)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities	39,243	38,775
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(4,879)	(2,280)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	29,429	17,297
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Deposit - acquisition of a business	(161,000)
Proceeds from Dividends Received	15,000
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(84,866)	22,731
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs
Proceeds from loans payable
Principal payments of loans payable	(8,331)	(25,832)
Redemption of senior notes
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests
Purchase of treasury stock
Payments of Dividends
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	773,035	(37,381)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	764,704	(63,213)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	400,644	(418,346)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	670,102	712,024
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	1,070,746	293,678
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow used in operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(17,808)	41,310
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(194)	(268)
Purchase of marketable securities		(81)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(55,529)	(5,334)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	3,000	14
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(191)	(16,252)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	17,574	3,015
Deposit - acquisition of a business
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(35,340)	(18,906)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs
Proceeds from loans payable	275,334	244,830
Principal payments of loans payable	(298,864)	(274,030)
Redemption of senior notes
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests	81
Purchase of treasury stock
Payments of Dividends	(15,000)
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	108,470	15,074
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	70,021	(14,126)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	16,873	8,278
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	102,870	66,800
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	119,743	75,078
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flow used in operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(8,004)	(5,476)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Purchase of marketable securities
Sale and redemption of marketable securities
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Deposit - acquisition of a business
Proceeds from Dividends Received	(15,000)
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	889,509	(16,831)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	874,509	(16,831)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs
Proceeds from loans payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Redemption of senior notes
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests
Purchase of treasury stock
Payments of Dividends	15,000
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(881,505)	22,307
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(866,505)	22,307
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 0	$ 0