Supplemental Guarantor Information (Level 4 CF) (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2015	Jul. 31, 2014
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	$ (111,251)	$ 38,616
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(7,245)	(9,500)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities	2,000	40,243
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(39,281)	(93,039)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	34,803	50,677
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(2,096)	(1,127)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	23,372	$ 40,675
Net increase in cash from purchase of joint venture interest	$ 3,848
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired		$ (1,489,116)
Proceeds from Dividends Received		0
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	$ 0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	$ 15,401	(1,461,187)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt		600,000
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs		(4,700)
Proceeds from Notes Payable	$ 1,216,094	1,870,880
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable		(3,005)
Principal payments of loans payable	$ (1,043,542)	(1,417,848)
Redemption of senior notes	$ (300,000)	(267,960)
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock		220,365
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	$ 35,246	26,555
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities	4,603	221
Purchase of treasury stock	(6,746)	(341)
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests	(1,312)	81
Payments of Dividends		0
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(95,657)	1,024,248
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(191,507)	(398,323)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	586,315	772,972
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	394,808	374,649
Toll Brothers Inc. [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	$ (7,795)	$ 101,864
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
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
Net increase in cash from purchase of joint venture interest
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	$ (25,308)	$ (348,664)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	$ (25,308)	$ (348,664)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs
Proceeds from Notes Payable
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Redemption of senior notes
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock		$ 220,365
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	$ 35,246	26,555
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities	4,603	221
Purchase of treasury stock	$ (6,746)	$ (341)
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Payments of Dividends
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	$ 33,103	$ 246,800
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) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	$ 7,730	$ 18,079
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
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
Net increase in cash from purchase of joint venture interest
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	$ 292,270	$ (345,419)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	$ 292,270	(345,419)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt		600,000
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs		$ (4,700)
Proceeds from Notes Payable
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Redemption of senior notes	$ (300,000)	$ (267,960)
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities
Purchase of treasury stock
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Payments of Dividends
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	$ (300,000)	$ 327,340
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) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	(17,570)	(4,242)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(5,954)	(9,145)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities	2,000	40,243
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(3,172)	(15,604)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	$ 20,261	$ 40,413
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Net increase in cash from purchase of joint venture interest	$ 3,848
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired		$ (1,489,116)
Proceeds from Dividends Received		$ 15,000
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	$ 16,983	$ (1,418,209)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs
Proceeds from Notes Payable	250,000	$ 1,141,300
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable		(3,005)
Principal payments of loans payable	$ (86,166)	$ (701,098)
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
Purchase of treasury stock
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Payments of Dividends
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	$ (354,300)	$ 569,662
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(190,466)	1,006,859
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(191,053)	(415,592)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	455,714	670,102
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	264,661	254,510
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	(85,025)	(64,371)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	$ (1,291)	$ (355)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	$ (36,109)	$ (77,435)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	14,542	10,264
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(2,096)	(1,127)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	$ 23,372	$ 40,675
Net increase in cash from purchase of joint venture interest
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	$ (1,582)	$ (27,978)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs
Proceeds from Notes Payable	966,094	$ 729,580
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable	$ (957,376)	$ (716,750)
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
Purchase of treasury stock
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests	$ (1,312)	$ 81
Payments of Dividends		(15,000)
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	78,747	111,707
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	86,153	109,618
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(454)	17,269
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	130,601	102,870
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	130,147	120,139
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	$ (8,591)	$ (12,714)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
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
Net increase in cash from purchase of joint venture interest
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received		$ (15,000)
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	$ (266,962)	694,083
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	$ (266,962)	$ 679,083
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs
Proceeds from Notes Payable
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes 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
Purchase of treasury stock
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Payments of Dividends		$ 15,000
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	$ 275,553	(681,369)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	275,553	(666,369)
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