Supplemental Guarantor Information (Level 4 CF) (Details 5) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2013	Jan. 31, 2012
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	$ (305,822)	$ (162,079)
Cash flow provided by (used in) investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(5,391)	(3,392)
Purchase of marketable securities	(26,019)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities	38,775	88,217
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(7,614)	(71,784)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	17,311	15,333
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(16,252)	(26,410)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	3,015	3,702
Acquisition of a business		(144,746)
Intercompany investing activites (to) from consolidated entities	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities	3,825	(139,080)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from loans payable	244,830	199,139
Principal payments of loans payable	(299,862)	(237,896)
Redemption of senior notes	(59,068)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	6,108	9,334
Purchase of treasury stock	(79)	(64)
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	(108,071)	(29,487)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(410,068)	(330,646)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	778,824	906,340
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	368,756	575,694
Toll Brothers Inc. [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	24,053	(28,585)
Cash flow provided by (used in) investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Purchase of marketable securities
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
Intercompany investing activites (to) from consolidated entities	(30,082)	19,315
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities	(30,082)	19,315
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from loans payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Redemption of senior notes
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	6,108	9,334
Purchase of treasury stock	(79)	(64)
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	6,029	9,270
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period		0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0
Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	12,155	4,793
Cash flow provided by (used in) investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Purchase of marketable securities
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
Intercompany investing activites (to) from consolidated entities	46,913	(4,793)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities	46,913	(4,793)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from loans payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Redemption of senior notes	(59,068)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Purchase of treasury stock
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	(59,068)	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	(377,864)	(205,806)
Cash flow provided by (used in) investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(5,123)	(3,443)
Purchase of marketable securities	(25,938)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities	38,775	88,217
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(2,280)	(256)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	17,297	15,333
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Acquisition of a business		(144,746)
Intercompany investing activites (to) from consolidated entities
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities	22,731	(44,895)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from loans payable
Principal payments of loans payable	(25,832)	(13,212)
Redemption of senior notes
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Purchase of treasury stock
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(37,381)	(71,183)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	(63,213)	(84,395)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(418,346)	(335,096)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	712,024	777,012
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	293,678	441,916
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	41,310	67,556
Cash flow provided by (used in) investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(268)	51
Purchase of marketable securities	(81)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(5,334)	(71,528)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	14
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(16,252)	(26,410)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	3,015	3,702
Acquisition of a business
Intercompany investing activites (to) from consolidated entities
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities	(18,906)	(94,185)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from loans payable	244,830	199,139
Principal payments of loans payable	(274,030)	(224,684)
Redemption of senior notes
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Purchase of treasury stock
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	15,074	56,624
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	(14,126)	31,079
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	8,278	4,450
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	66,800	129,328
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	75,078	133,778
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities	(5,476)	(37)
Cash flow provided by (used in) investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Purchase of marketable securities
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
Intercompany investing activites (to) from consolidated entities	(16,831)	(14,522)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Investing Activities	(16,831)	(14,522)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from loans payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Redemption of senior notes
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Purchase of treasury stock
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	22,307	14,559
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Financing Activities	22,307	14,559
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 0	$ 0