Supplemental Guarantor Information (Level 4 CF) (Details 5) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2013	Jul. 31, 2012
Cash flow used in operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ (456,535)	$ (231,938)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(24,184)	(9,476)
Purchase of marketable securities	(36,202)	(317,569)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities	348,595	270,503
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(49,210)	(195,813)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	50,453	33,231
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(26,155)	(30,090)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	15,396	14,412
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0
Acquisition of a business		(144,746)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	278,693	(379,548)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt	400,383	296,227
Proceeds from loans payable	796,791	675,481
Principal payments of loans payable	(834,836)	(689,242)
Redemption of senior notes	(59,068)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	10,365	24,515
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests	33
Purchase of treasury stock	(15,309)	(384)
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	298,359	306,597
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	120,517	(304,889)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	778,824	906,340
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	899,341	601,451
Toll Brothers Inc. [Member]
Cash flow used in operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	77,313	(42,308)
Cash flow from 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
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(72,369)	18,177
Acquisition of a business
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(72,369)	18,177
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Proceeds from loans payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Redemption of senior notes
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	10,365	24,515
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests
Purchase of treasury stock	(15,309)	(384)
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(4,944)	24,131
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0
Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Cash flow used in operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	20,938	15,773
Cash flow from 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
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(362,253)	(312,000)
Acquisition of a business
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(362,253)	(312,000)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt	400,383	296,227
Proceeds from loans payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Redemption of senior notes	(59,068)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests
Purchase of treasury stock
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	341,315	296,227
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow used in operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(541,461)	(168,722)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(12,646)	(9,485)
Purchase of marketable securities	(25,938)	(257,431)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities	288,332	270,503
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(25,517)	(112,717)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	38,811	29,281
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Acquisition of a business		(144,746)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	263,042	(224,595)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Proceeds from loans payable
Principal payments of loans payable	(31,035)	(19,480)
Redemption of senior notes
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests
Purchase of treasury stock
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	370,158	169,156
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	339,123	149,676
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	60,704	(243,641)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	712,024	777,012
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	772,728	533,371
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow used in operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(3,430)	(35,554)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(11,538)	9
Purchase of marketable securities	(10,264)	60,138
Sale and redemption of marketable securities	60,263
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(23,693)	(83,096)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	11,642	3,950
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(26,155)	(30,090)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	15,396	14,412
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Acquisition of a business
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	15,651	(154,953)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Proceeds from loans payable	796,791	675,481
Principal payments of loans payable	(803,801)	(669,762)
Redemption of senior notes
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests	33
Purchase of treasury stock
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	54,569	123,540
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	47,592	129,259
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	59,813	(61,248)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	66,800	129,328
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	126,613	68,080
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flow used in operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(9,895)	(1,127)
Cash flow from 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
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	434,622	293,823
Acquisition of a business
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	434,622	293,823
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Proceeds from loans payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Redemption of senior notes
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests
Purchase of treasury stock
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(424,727)	(292,696)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(424,727)	(292,696)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 0	$ 0