Variable Interest Entities (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Nov. 30, 2011	Nov. 30, 2010
Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities (Textual) [Abstract]
Cash deposits associated with land option and other similar contracts of unconsolidated VIE's	$ 8.1	$ 2.6
Aggregate purchase price of land option and other similar contracts of unconsolidated VIE's	122.1	86.1
Total cash deposits associated with land option and other similar contracts that were not VIE's	12.8	12.2
Aggregate purchase price of land option and other similar contracts that were not VIE's	223.0	274.3
Non refundable deposits related to land option and other similar contracts	20.9	14.8
Outstanding letters of credit	1.7	4.2
Increase in inventories and accrued expenses and other liabilities	$ 23.9	$ 15.5

Cash deposits associated with land option and other similar contracts of non variable interest entities.

No definition available.

Name:	kbh_CashDepositsAssociatedWithLandOptionAndOtherSimilarContractsOfNonVariableInterestEntities
Namespace Prefix:	kbh_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Cash deposits associated with land option and other similar contracts of unconsolidated variable interest entities.

No definition available.

Name:	kbh_CashDepositsAssociatedWithLandOptionAndOtherSimilarContractsOfUnconsolidatedVariableInterestEntities
Namespace Prefix:	kbh_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Name:	kbh_ConsolidationOfVariableInterestEntitiesTextualAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	kbh_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Increase in inventories and accrued expenses and other liabilities due to land option and other similar contracts.

No definition available.

Name:	kbh_IncreaseInInventoriesAndAccruedExpensesAndOtherLiabilitiesDueToLandOptionAndOtherSimilarContracts
Namespace Prefix:	kbh_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Non-refundable cash deposits on land option and other similar contracts.

No definition available.

Name:	kbh_NonRefundableCashDepositsOnLandOptionAndOtherSimilarContracts
Namespace Prefix:	kbh_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Outstanding letters of credit in lieu of cash deposits under certain land option or other similar contracts.

No definition available.

Name:	kbh_OutstandingLettersOfCreditInLieuOfCashDepositsUnderCertainLandOptionOrOtherSimilarContracts
Namespace Prefix:	kbh_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Purchase price associated with land option and other similar contracts of non variable interest entities.

No definition available.

Name:	kbh_PurchasePriceAssociatedWithLandOptionAndOtherSimilarContractsOfNonVariableInterestEntities
Namespace Prefix:	kbh_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Purchase price associated with land option and other similar contracts of unconsolidated variable interest entities.

No definition available.

Name:	kbh_PurchasePriceAssociatedWithLandOptionAndOtherSimilarContractsOfUnconsolidatedVariableInterestEntities
Namespace Prefix:	kbh_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant