Supplemental Guarantor Information (Level 4 CF) (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2017	Jan. 31, 2016	Oct. 31, 2016
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	$ 41,964	$ (23,225)	$ 148,771
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(6,314)	(1,593)	(28,426)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities		10,000	10,000
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(99,941)	(11,838)	(69,655)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	33,253	14,804	47,806
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(274)	(694)	(1,133)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	1,852	5,321	49,619
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	(85,183)		0
Proceeds from Dividends Received		0	0
Investments paid intercompany	0
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(156,607)	16,000	8,211
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt		(64)	(35)
Proceeds from Notes Payable	360,382	339,854	2,443,496
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable	0		(4,868)
Principal payments of loans payable	(516,833)	(770,539)	(2,497,585)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	25,831	4,769	6,986
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities	253	297	2,114
Purchase of treasury stock	(15,236)	(150,135)	(392,772)
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests		294	404
Payments of Dividends	0	0	0
Investment received intercompany	0		0
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(145,603)	(575,524)	(442,260)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(260,246)	(582,749)	(285,278)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	633,715	918,993	918,993
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	373,469	336,244	633,715
Payments to Acquire Available-for-sale Securities, Debt		0	0
Toll Brothers Inc. [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	(25,840)	18,482	60,465
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
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Investments paid intercompany
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	14,992	126,587	323,207
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	14,992	126,587	323,207
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	25,831	4,769	6,986
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities	253	297	2,114
Purchase of treasury stock	(15,236)	(150,135)	(392,772)
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Payments of Dividends
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	10,848	(145,069)	(383,672)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0	0
Payments to Acquire Available-for-sale Securities, Debt
Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	6,311	14,528	14,768
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
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Investments paid intercompany
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(6,311)	(14,464)	(14,733)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(6,311)	(14,464)	(14,733)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt		(64)	(35)
Proceeds from Notes Payable
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs 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
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	0	(64)	(35)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0	0
Payments to Acquire Available-for-sale Securities, Debt
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	(273,424)	(178,283)	105,709
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(6,393)	(1,667)	(27,835)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(267)	(1,445)	(2,637)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	9,950	12,167	32,857
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	(85,183)		5,000
Proceeds from Dividends Received		5,000	(5,000)
Investments paid intercompany	45,000
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(36,893)	14,055	2,385
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable			550,000
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable			(4,868)
Principal payments of loans payable	(3,491)	(394,592)	(714,089)
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
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	10,872	(46,017)	(139,296)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	7,381	(440,609)	(308,253)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(302,936)	(604,837)	(200,159)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	583,440	783,599	783,599
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	280,504	178,762	583,440
Payments to Acquire Available-for-sale Securities, Debt
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	338,773	132,051	(64,386)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	79	74	(591)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities		10,000	10,000
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(99,674)	(10,393)	(67,018)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	23,303	2,637	14,949
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(274)	(694)	(1,133)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	1,852	5,321	49,619
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Investments paid intercompany
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(74,714)	6,945	5,826
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable	360,382	339,854	1,893,496
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable	(513,342)	(375,947)	(1,783,496)
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		294	404
Payments of Dividends		(5,000)	(5,000)
Investment received intercompany	45,000		5,000
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(113,409)	(76,109)	(136,963)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(221,369)	(116,908)	(26,559)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	42,690	22,088	(85,119)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	50,275	135,394	135,394
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	92,965	157,482	50,275
Payments to Acquire Available-for-sale Securities, Debt
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	(3,856)	(10,003)	32,215
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
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired			(5,000)
Proceeds from Dividends Received		(5,000)	5,000
Investments paid intercompany	(45,000)
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(8,681)	(112,123)	(308,474)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(53,681)	(117,123)	(308,474)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs 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	5,000
Investment received intercompany	(45,000)		(5,000)
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	102,537	122,126	276,259
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	57,537	127,126	276,259
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 0	0	0
Payments to Acquire Available-for-sale Securities, Debt