Supplemental Guarantor Information (Level 4 CF) (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2016	Apr. 30, 2015
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	$ (15,880)	$ (37,942)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(7,324)	(5,884)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities	10,000	2,000
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(21,383)	(27,705)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	28,478	10,637
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(866)	(1,697)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	$ 33,435	14,592
Net increase in cash from purchase of joint venture interest		3,848
Proceeds from Dividends Received	$ 0
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	42,340	$ (4,209)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt	(43)
Proceeds from Notes Payable	821,984	$ 529,053
Principal payments of loans payable	(1,119,911)	(572,838)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	5,003	34,057
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities	665	3,045
Purchase of treasury stock	(230,263)	(6,616)
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests	290	1,292
Payments of Dividends	0
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(522,275)	(12,007)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(495,815)	(54,158)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	918,993	586,315
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	423,178	532,157
Toll Brothers Inc. [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	$ 45,565	$ (48,714)
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
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	$ 179,030	$ 18,228
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	$ 179,030	$ 18,228
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	$ 5,003	$ 34,057
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities	665	3,045
Purchase of treasury stock	$ (230,263)	$ (6,616)
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Payments of Dividends
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	$ (224,595)	$ 30,486
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	$ 11,996	$ 4,290
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
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	$ (11,953)	$ (4,290)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(11,953)	$ (4,290)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt	$ (43)
Proceeds from Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable
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	$ (43)	$ 0
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	(166,251)	15,173
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	$ (6,626)	(5,037)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities		2,000
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	$ (1,763)	(2,253)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	$ 22,236	$ 5,797
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
Proceeds from Dividends Received	$ 5,000
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	$ 18,847	$ 4,355
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable	$ 100,000
Principal payments of loans payable	$ (397,927)	$ (22,556)
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	$ (46,447)	$ (63,450)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(344,374)	(86,006)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(491,778)	(66,478)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	783,599	455,714
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	291,821	389,236
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	104,238	(2,631)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(698)	$ (847)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities	10,000
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(19,620)	$ (25,452)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	6,242	4,840
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(866)	(1,697)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	$ 33,435	$ 14,592
Net increase in cash from purchase of joint venture interest
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	$ 28,493	$ (8,564)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable	$ 721,984	529,053
Principal payments of loans payable	$ (721,984)	$ (550,282)
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	$ 290	$ 1,292
Payments of Dividends	(5,000)
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(132,058)	43,452
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(136,768)	23,515
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(4,037)	12,320
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	135,394	130,601
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	131,357	142,921
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	$ (11,428)	$ (6,060)
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
Proceeds from Dividends Received	$ (5,000)
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(167,077)	$ (13,938)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	$ (172,077)	$ (13,938)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable
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	$ 5,000
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	178,505	$ 19,998
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	183,505	19,998
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