Supplemental Guarantor Information (Level 4 CF) (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2016	Jan. 31, 2015
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	$ (23,225)	$ (33,048)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(1,593)	(2,884)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities	10,000	2,000
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(11,838)	(18,684)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	14,804	6,340
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(694)	(1,468)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	5,321	6,592
Proceeds from Dividends Received	0
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	16,000	$ (8,104)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt	(64)
Proceeds from Notes Payable	339,854	$ 214,624
Principal payments of loans payable	(770,539)	(272,334)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	4,769	17,773
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities	297	1,866
Purchase of treasury stock	(150,135)	(6,242)
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests	294	50
Payments of Dividends	0
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(575,524)	(44,263)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(582,749)	(85,415)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	918,993	586,315
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	336,244	500,900
Toll Brothers Inc. [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	$ 18,482	$ (48,956)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
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
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	$ 126,587	$ 35,559
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	$ 126,587	$ 35,559
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	$ 4,769	$ 17,773
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities	297	1,866
Purchase of treasury stock	$ (150,135)	$ (6,242)
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Payments of Dividends
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	$ (145,069)	$ 13,397
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) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	$ 14,528	$ 6,870
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
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
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	$ (14,464)	$ (6,870)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(14,464)	$ (6,870)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt	$ (64)
Proceeds from Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities
Purchase of treasury stock
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Payments of Dividends
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	$ (64)	$ 0
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) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	(178,283)	6,618
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	$ (1,667)	(2,528)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities		2,000
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	$ (1,445)	(595)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	$ 12,167	$ 1,500
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Proceeds from Dividends Received	$ 5,000
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	$ 14,055	$ 377
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable	$ (394,592)	$ (12,988)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities
Purchase of treasury stock
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Payments of Dividends
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	$ (46,017)	$ (83,821)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(440,609)	(96,809)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(604,837)	(89,814)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	783,599	455,714
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	178,762	365,900
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	132,051	6,418
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	74	$ (356)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities	10,000
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(10,393)	$ (18,089)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	2,637	4,840
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(694)	(1,468)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	$ 5,321	$ 6,592
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	$ 6,945	$ (8,481)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable	$ 339,854	214,624
Principal payments of loans payable	$ (375,947)	$ (259,346)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities
Purchase of treasury stock
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests	$ 294	$ 50
Payments of Dividends	(5,000)
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(76,109)	51,134
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(116,908)	6,462
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	22,088	4,399
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	135,394	130,601
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	157,482	135,000
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	$ (10,003)	$ (3,998)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
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
Proceeds from Dividends Received	$ (5,000)
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(112,123)	$ (28,689)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	$ (117,123)	$ (28,689)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities
Purchase of treasury stock
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Payments of Dividends	$ 5,000
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	122,126	$ 32,687
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	127,126	32,687
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