Supplemental Guarantor Information (Level 4 CF) (Details 3) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2014	Jul. 31, 2013
Cash flow used in operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 38,616	$ (456,535)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(9,500)	(24,184)
Purchase of marketable securities		(36,202)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities	40,243	348,595
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(93,039)	(49,210)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	50,677	50,453
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(1,127)	(26,155)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	40,675	15,396
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	(1,489,116)
Proceeds from Dividends Received	0
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(1,461,187)	278,693
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt	600,000	400,383
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs for Senior debt	(4,700)
Proceeds from loans payable	1,870,880	796,791
Payments of Financing Costs for loans payable	(3,005)
Principal payments of loans payable	(1,417,848)	(834,836)
Redemption of senior notes	(267,960)	(59,068)
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock	220,365
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	26,555	10,365
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities	221
Purchase of treasury stock	(341)	(15,309)
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests	81	33
Payments of Dividends	0
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	1,024,248	298,359
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(398,323)	120,517
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	772,972	778,824
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	374,649	899,341
Toll Brothers Inc. [Member]
Cash flow used in operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	101,864	77,313
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
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(348,664)	(72,369)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(348,664)	(72,369)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs for Senior debt
Proceeds from loans payable
Payments of Financing Costs for loans payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Redemption of senior notes
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock	220,365
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	26,555	10,365
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities	221
Purchase of treasury stock	(341)	(15,309)
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests
Payments of Dividends
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	246,800	(4,944)
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	18,079	20,938
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
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(345,419)	(362,253)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(345,419)	(362,253)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt	600,000	400,383
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs for Senior debt	(4,700)
Proceeds from loans payable
Payments of Financing Costs for loans payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Redemption of senior notes	(267,960)	(59,068)
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities
Purchase of treasury stock
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests
Payments of Dividends
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	327,340	341,315
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	(4,242)	(541,461)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(9,145)	(12,646)
Purchase of marketable securities		(25,938)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities	40,243	288,332
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(15,604)	(25,517)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	40,413	38,811
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	(1,489,116)
Proceeds from Dividends Received	15,000
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(1,418,209)	263,042
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs for Senior debt
Proceeds from loans payable	1,141,300
Payments of Financing Costs for loans payable	(3,005)
Principal payments of loans payable	(701,098)	(31,035)
Redemption of senior notes
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities
Purchase of treasury stock
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests
Payments of Dividends
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	569,662	370,158
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	1,006,859	339,123
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(415,592)	60,704
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	670,102	712,024
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	254,510	772,728
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow used in operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(64,371)	(3,430)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(355)	(11,538)
Purchase of marketable securities		(10,264)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities		60,263
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(77,435)	(23,693)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	10,264	11,642
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(1,127)	(26,155)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	40,675	15,396
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(27,978)	15,651
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs for Senior debt
Proceeds from loans payable	729,580	796,791
Payments of Financing Costs for loans payable
Principal payments of loans payable	(716,750)	(803,801)
Redemption of senior notes
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities
Purchase of treasury stock
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests	81	33
Payments of Dividends	(15,000)
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	111,707	54,569
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	109,618	47,592
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	17,269	59,813
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	102,870	66,800
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	120,139	126,613
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flow used in operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(12,714)	(9,895)
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
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received	(15,000)
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	694,083	434,622
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	679,083	434,622
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from Issuance of Senior Long-term Debt
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs for Senior debt
Proceeds from loans payable
Payments of Financing Costs for loans payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Redemption of senior notes
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities
Purchase of treasury stock
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests
Payments of Dividends	15,000
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(681,369)	(424,727)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(666,369)	(424,727)
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