Supplemental Guarantor Information (Level 4 CF) (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2016	Jul. 31, 2015
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	$ (325,253)	$ (111,251)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(23,280)	(7,245)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities	10,000	2,000
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(40,627)	(39,281)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	34,769	34,803
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(964)	(2,096)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	34,601	23,372
Net increase in cash from purchase of joint venture interest		3,848
Proceeds from Dividends Received	0
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	14,499	15,401
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt	(35)
Proceeds from Notes Payable	1,756,528	1,216,094
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable	(3,936)
Principal payments of loans payable	(1,688,087)	(1,043,542)
Redemption of senior notes		(300,000)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	5,336	35,246
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities	1,131	4,603
Purchase of treasury stock	(327,612)	(6,746)
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests	290	(1,312)
Payments of Dividends	0
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(256,385)	(95,657)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(567,139)	(191,507)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	918,993	586,315
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	351,854	394,808
Toll Brothers Inc. [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	71,539	(7,795)
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
Net increase in cash from purchase of joint venture interest
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	249,606	(25,308)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	249,606	(25,308)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Redemption of senior notes
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	5,336	35,246
Excess Tax Benefit from Share-based Compensation, Financing Activities	1,131	4,603
Purchase of treasury stock	(327,612)	(6,746)
Proceeds from (Payments to) Noncontrolling Interests
Payments of Dividends
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(321,145)	33,103
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	17,333	7,730
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
Net increase in cash from purchase of joint venture interest
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(17,298)	292,270
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(17,298)	292,270
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt	(35)
Proceeds from Notes Payable
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Redemption of senior notes		(300,000)
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	(35)	(300,000)
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	(461,637)	(17,570)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(22,623)	(5,954)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities		2,000
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(2,057)	(3,172)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	26,486	20,261
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate
Net increase in cash from purchase of joint venture interest		3,848
Proceeds from Dividends Received	5,000
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	6,806	16,983
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable	550,000	250,000
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable	(3,936)
Principal payments of loans payable	(506,559)	(86,166)
Redemption of senior notes
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	(66,039)	(354,300)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(26,534)	(190,466)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(481,365)	(191,053)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	783,599	455,714
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	302,234	264,661
Nonguarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	61,008	(85,025)
Cash flow (used in) provided by investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(657)	(1,291)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities	10,000
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities	(38,570)	(36,109)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	8,283	14,542
Investment in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	(964)	(2,096)
Return of investments in distressed loans and foreclosed real estate	34,601	23,372
Net increase in cash from purchase of joint venture interest
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	12,693	(1,582)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable	1,206,528	966,094
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable	(1,181,528)	(957,376)
Redemption of senior notes
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	290	(1,312)
Payments of Dividends	(5,000)
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(179,765)	78,747
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(159,475)	86,153
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(85,774)	(454)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	135,394	130,601
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	49,620	130,147
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net Cash (Used in) Provided by Operating Activities, Continuing Operations	(13,496)	(8,591)
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
Net increase in cash from purchase of joint venture interest
Proceeds from Dividends Received	(5,000)
Intercompany investing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(232,308)	(266,962)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(237,308)	(266,962)
Cash flow (used in) provided by financing activities:
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Senior Long Term Debt
Proceeds from Notes Payable
Payments of Debt Issuance Costs Notes Payable
Principal payments of loans payable
Redemption of senior notes
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	245,804	275,553
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	250,804	275,553
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