Supplemental Guarantor Information (Level 4 IS) (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2012	Apr. 30, 2011	Apr. 30, 2012	Apr. 30, 2011
Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Revenues	$ 373,681	$ 319,675	$ 695,636	$ 653,791
Cost of revenues	306,821	276,354	578,429	558,319
Selling, general and administrative	68,256	67,050	137,893	128,301
Interest expense	0	392	0	1,504
Total	375,077	343,796	716,322	688,124
Loss from operations	(1,396)	(24,121)	(20,686)	(34,333)
Other [Abstract]
Income (loss) from unconsolidated entities	6,989	(11,343)	13,676	(22,345)
Interest and other	10,056	3,980	16,251	8,147
Loss from subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income tax benefit	15,649	(31,484)	9,241	(48,531)
Income tax benefit	(1,223)	(10,711)	(4,845)	(31,175)
Net income (loss)	16,872	(20,773)	14,086	(17,356)
Toll Brothers Inc. [Member]
Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Revenues
Cost of revenues
Selling, general and administrative	14	25	27	53
Interest expense
Total	14	25	27	53
Loss from operations	(14)	(25)	(27)	(53)
Other [Abstract]
Income (loss) from unconsolidated entities
Interest and other	13		20
Loss from subsidiaries	15,650	(31,459)	9,248	(48,478)
Income (loss) before income tax benefit	15,649	(31,484)	9,241	(48,531)
Income tax benefit	(1,223)	(10,711)	(4,845)	(31,175)
Net income (loss)	16,872	(20,773)	14,086	(17,356)
Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Revenues
Cost of revenues
Selling, general and administrative	1,304	329	1,782	670
Interest expense	30,823	26,638	56,109	52,483
Total	32,127	26,967	57,891	53,153
Loss from operations	(32,127)	(26,967)	(57,891)	(53,153)
Other [Abstract]
Income (loss) from unconsolidated entities
Interest and other	32,127	26,967	57,891	53,153
Loss from subsidiaries
Income (loss) before income tax benefit	0	0	0	0
Income tax benefit
Net income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Revenues	383,659	312,352	711,351	637,407
Cost of revenues	308,436	265,713	581,320	536,628
Selling, general and administrative	75,481	68,960	148,768	132,972
Interest expense		392		1,504
Total	383,917	335,065	730,088	671,104
Loss from operations	(258)	(22,713)	(18,737)	(33,697)
Other [Abstract]
Income (loss) from unconsolidated entities	3,957	(2,816)	9,186	3,705
Interest and other	11,949	(5,930)	18,799	(18,486)
Loss from subsidiaries
Income (loss) before income tax benefit	15,648	(31,459)	9,248	(48,478)
Income tax benefit	(1,231)	(9,425)	(4,849)	(31,784)
Net income (loss)	16,879	(22,034)	14,097	(16,694)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Revenues	13,236	22,272	25,622	47,422
Cost of revenues	611	13,198	1,285	27,505
Selling, general and administrative	10,115	10,189	19,634	18,693
Interest expense
Total	10,726	23,387	20,919	46,198
Loss from operations	2,510	(1,115)	4,703	1,224
Other [Abstract]
Income (loss) from unconsolidated entities	3,032	(8,527)	4,490	(26,050)
Interest and other	1,793	88	2,026	(1,450)
Loss from subsidiaries
Income (loss) before income tax benefit	7,335	(9,554)	11,219	(26,276)
Income tax benefit	(8,078)	3,194	(5,883)	(16,866)
Net income (loss)	15,413	(12,748)	17,102	(9,410)
Eliminations [Member]
Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations
Revenues	(23,214)	(14,949)	(41,337)	(31,038)
Cost of revenues	(2,226)	(2,557)	(4,176)	(5,814)
Selling, general and administrative	(18,658)	(12,453)	(32,318)	(24,087)
Interest expense	(30,823)	(26,638)	(56,109)	(52,483)
Total	(51,707)	(41,648)	(92,603)	(82,384)
Loss from operations	28,493	26,699	51,266	51,346
Other [Abstract]
Income (loss) from unconsolidated entities
Interest and other	(35,826)	(17,145)	(62,485)	(25,070)
Loss from subsidiaries	(15,650)	31,459	(9,248)	48,478
Income (loss) before income tax benefit	(22,983)	41,013	(20,467)	74,754
Income tax benefit	9,309	6,231	10,732	48,650
Net income (loss)	$ (32,292)	$ 34,782	$ (31,199)	$ 26,104