Supplemental Guarantor Information (Level 4 CF) (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2017	Oct. 31, 2016	Oct. 31, 2015
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 959,719	$ 148,771	$ 60,182
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(28,872)	(28,426)	(9,447)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities and restricted investments - net	18,049	10,000	2,000
Payments to Acquire Equity Method Investments	(122,334)	(69,655)	(123,940)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	195,505	47,806	39,766
Investment in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans	(710)	(1,133)	(2,624)
Return of investments in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans	13,765	49,619	37,625
Net increase in cash from purchase of joint venture interest			3,848
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired	(83,088)
Proceeds from Dividends Received		0
Investments paid intercompany	0	0
Intercompany investing activites (to) from consolidated entities	0	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(7,685)	8,211	(52,772)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	455,483		350,000
Proceeds from loans payable	1,621,043	2,443,496	1,954,432
Debt issuance costs	4,449	4,903	3,175
Principal Payments of Loans Payable	1,999,357	2,497,585	1,659,458
Repayments of senior notes	687,500		300,000
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	66,000	6,986	39,514
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	5,328	2,114	1,628
Purchase of treasury stock	(290,881)	(392,772)	(56,888)
Receipts (payments) related to noncontrolling interest, net		404	(785)
Payments of Dividends	(38,587)
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company		0
Investment received intercompany	0	0
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(872,920)	(442,260)	325,268
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	79,114	(285,278)	332,678
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	633,715	918,993	586,315
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	712,829	633,715	918,993
Toll Brothers Inc. [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	196,438	60,465	45,366
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Sale and redemption of marketable securities and restricted investments - net	10,631
Payments to Acquire Equity Method Investments
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities
Investment in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans
Return of investments in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Investments paid intercompany
Intercompany investing activites (to) from consolidated entities	51,071	323,207	(29,620)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	61,702	323,207	(29,620)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Proceeds from loans payable
Debt issuance costs
Principal Payments of Loans Payable
Repayments of senior notes
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	66,000	6,986	39,514
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	5,328	2,114	1,628
Purchase of treasury stock	(290,881)	(392,772)	(56,888)
Receipts (payments) related to noncontrolling interest, net
Payments of Dividends	(38,587)
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(258,140)	(383,672)	(15,746)
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 provided by (used in) operating activities	9,955	14,768	2,156
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Sale and redemption of marketable securities and restricted investments - net
Payments to Acquire Equity Method Investments
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities
Investment in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans
Return of investments in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Investments paid intercompany
Intercompany investing activites (to) from consolidated entities	226,511	(14,733)	(48,981)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	226,511	(14,733)	(48,981)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	455,483		350,000
Proceeds from loans payable
Debt issuance costs	4,449	35	3,175
Principal Payments of Loans Payable
Repayments of senior notes	687,500		300,000
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation
Purchase of treasury stock
Receipts (payments) related to noncontrolling interest, net
Payments of Dividends
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(236,466)	(35)	46,825
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 provided by (used in) operating activities	292,802	116,116	100,487
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(20,439)	(27,835)	(10,181)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities and restricted investments - net			2,000
Payments to Acquire Equity Method Investments	(3,744)	(2,637)	(4,552)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	58,610	32,857	23,213
Investment in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans
Return of investments in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans
Net increase in cash from purchase of joint venture interest			3,848
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired	(83,088)
Proceeds from Dividends Received		5,000
Investments paid intercompany	(45,000)	(5,000)
Intercompany investing activites (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(93,661)	2,385	14,328
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Proceeds from loans payable	250,068	550,000	400,000
Debt issuance costs		4,868
Principal Payments of Loans Payable	538,527	714,089	113,745
Repayments of senior notes
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation
Purchase of treasury stock
Receipts (payments) related to noncontrolling interest, net
Payments of Dividends
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	39,082	(149,703)	(73,185)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(249,377)	(318,660)	213,070
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(50,236)	(200,159)	327,885
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	583,440	783,599	455,714
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	533,204	583,440	783,599
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	469,948	(22,737)	(78,246)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(8,433)	(591)	734
Sale and redemption of marketable securities and restricted investments - net	7,418	10,000
Payments to Acquire Equity Method Investments	(118,590)	(67,018)	(119,388)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	136,895	14,949	16,553
Investment in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans	(710)	(1,133)	(2,624)
Return of investments in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans	13,765	49,619	37,625
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Investments paid intercompany
Intercompany investing activites (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	30,345	5,826	(67,100)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Proceeds from loans payable	1,370,975	1,893,496	1,554,432
Debt issuance costs
Principal Payments of Loans Payable	1,460,830	1,783,496	1,545,713
Repayments of senior notes
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation
Purchase of treasury stock
Receipts (payments) related to noncontrolling interest, net		404	(785)
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company		(5,000)
Investment received intercompany	45,000	5,000
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(326,088)	(178,612)	142,205
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(370,943)	(68,208)	150,139
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	129,350	(85,119)	4,793
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	50,275	135,394	130,601
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	179,625	50,275	135,394
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(9,424)	(19,841)	(9,581)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Sale and redemption of marketable securities and restricted investments - net
Payments to Acquire Equity Method Investments
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities
Investment in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans
Return of investments in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received		(5,000)
Investments paid intercompany	45,000	5,000
Intercompany investing activites (to) from consolidated entities	(277,582)	(308,474)	78,601
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(232,582)	(308,474)	78,601
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Proceeds from loans payable
Debt issuance costs
Principal Payments of Loans Payable
Repayments of senior notes
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation
Purchase of treasury stock
Receipts (payments) related to noncontrolling interest, net
Payments of Dividends
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company		5,000
Investment received intercompany	(45,000)	(5,000)
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	287,006	328,315	(69,020)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	242,006	328,315	(69,020)
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