Supplemental Guarantor Information (Level 4 CF) (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2017	Apr. 30, 2016	Oct. 31, 2016
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	$ 260,401	$ (15,880)	$ 148,771
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(11,709)	(7,324)	(28,426)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities		10,000	10,000
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(113,515)	(21,383)	(69,655)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	98,087	28,478	47,806
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(513)	(866)	(1,133)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	4,376	33,435	49,619
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired	(85,183)
Proceeds from Dividends Received		0	0
Investments paid intercompany	0		0
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(108,457)	42,340	8,211
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	300,000
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt	(2,830)	(43)	(35)
Proceeds from Notes Payable	769,454	821,984	2,443,496
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable			(4,868)
Principal payments of loans payable	(1,173,880)	(1,119,911)	(2,497,585)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	40,628	5,003	6,986
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities	708	665	2,114
Purchase of treasury stock	(15,422)	(230,263)	(392,772)
Dividends paid	(13,051)
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests		290	404
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company		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	(94,393)	(522,275)	(442,260)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	57,551	(495,815)	(285,278)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	633,715	918,993	918,993
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	691,266	423,178	633,715
Toll Brothers Inc. [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	64,132	45,565	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
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Investments paid intercompany
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(76,995)	179,030	323,207
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(76,995)	179,030	323,207
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
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	40,628	5,003	6,986
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities	708	665	2,114
Purchase of treasury stock	(15,422)	(230,263)	(392,772)
Dividends paid	(13,051)
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	12,863	(224,595)	(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
Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	6,729	11,996	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
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Investments paid intercompany
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(303,899)	(11,953)	(14,733)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(303,899)	(11,953)	(14,733)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	300,000
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt	(2,830)	(43)	(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
Dividends paid
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	297,170	(43)	(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
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	(189,934)	(166,251)	105,709
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(12,043)	(6,626)	(27,835)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(1,969)	(1,763)	(2,637)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	29,566	22,236	32,857
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired	(85,183)
Proceeds from Dividends Received		5,000	5,000
Investments paid intercompany	(45,000)		(5,000)
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(114,629)	18,847	2,385
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable	125,000	100,000	550,000
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable			(4,868)
Principal payments of loans payable	(380,555)	(397,927)	(714,089)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities
Purchase of treasury stock
Dividends paid
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	578,759	(46,447)	(139,296)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	323,204	(344,374)	(308,253)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	18,641	(491,778)	(200,159)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	583,440	783,599	783,599
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	602,081	291,821	583,440
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	390,949	104,238	(64,386)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	334	(698)	(591)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities		10,000	10,000
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(111,546)	(19,620)	(67,018)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	68,521	6,242	14,949
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(513)	(866)	(1,133)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	4,376	33,435	49,619
Acquisition of a business, 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	(38,828)	28,493	5,826
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable	644,454	721,984	1,893,496
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable	(793,325)	(721,984)	(1,783,496)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities
Purchase of treasury stock
Dividends paid
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests		290	404
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company		(5,000)	(5,000)
Investment received intercompany	45,000		5,000
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(209,340)	(132,058)	(136,963)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(313,211)	(136,768)	(26,559)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	38,910	(4,037)	(85,119)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	50,275	135,394	135,394
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	89,185	131,357	50,275
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	(11,475)	(11,428)	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
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received		(5,000)	(5,000)
Investments paid intercompany	45,000		5,000
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	380,894	(167,077)	(308,474)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	425,894	(172,077)	(308,474)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
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
Dividends paid
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company		5,000	5,000
Investment received intercompany	(45,000)		(5,000)
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(369,419)	178,505	276,259
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(414,419)	183,505	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