Supplemental Guarantor Information (Level 4 CF) (Details 3) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2018	Oct. 31, 2017	Oct. 31, 2016
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 602,401	$ 965,047	$ 150,885
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(28,232)	(28,872)	(28,426)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities and restricted investments - net		18,049	10,000
Payments to Acquire Equity Method Investments	(27,491)	(122,334)	(69,655)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	133,190	195,505	47,806
Investment in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans	(966)	(710)	(1,133)
Return of investments in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans	4,765	13,765	49,619
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired		(83,088)
Proceeds from Dividends Received	0		0
Investments paid intercompany	0	0	0
Intercompany investing activites (to) from consolidated entities	0	0	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	81,266	(7,685)	8,211
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	400,000	455,483
Proceeds from loans payable	2,630,835	1,621,043	2,443,496
Debt issuance costs	(3,531)	(4,449)	(4,903)
Principal payments of loans payable	(2,690,164)	(1,999,357)	(2,497,585)
Repayments of senior notes		(687,500)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	13,392	66,000	6,986
Purchase of treasury stock	(503,159)	(290,881)	(392,772)
Payments of Dividends	61,704	38,587
Receipts (payments) related to noncontrolling interest, net	30		404
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company	0		0
Investment received intercompany	0	0	0
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(214,301)	(878,248)	(444,374)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	469,366	79,114	(285,278)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	712,829	633,715	918,993
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	1,182,195	712,829	633,715
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	9,101	(9,424)	(19,841)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Sale and redemption of marketable securities and restricted investments - net
Payments to Acquire Equity Method Investments
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities
Investment in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans
Return of investments in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received			(5,000)
Investments paid intercompany		45,000	5,000
Intercompany investing activites (to) from consolidated entities	(153,833)	(277,582)	(308,474)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(153,833)	(232,582)	(308,474)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Proceeds from loans payable
Debt issuance costs
Principal payments of loans payable
Repayments of senior notes
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Purchase of treasury stock
Payments of Dividends
Receipts (payments) related to noncontrolling interest, net
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company	6,000		5,000
Investment received intercompany		(45,000)	(5,000)
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	138,732	287,006	328,315
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	144,732	242,006	328,315
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0	0
Toll Brothers Inc. [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(4,270)	201,766	62,579
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Sale and redemption of marketable securities and restricted investments - net		10,631
Payments to Acquire Equity Method Investments
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities
Investment in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans
Return of investments in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Investments paid intercompany
Intercompany investing activites (to) from consolidated entities	555,741	51,071	323,207
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	555,741	61,702	323,207
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Proceeds from loans payable
Debt issuance costs
Principal payments of loans payable
Repayments of senior notes
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans	13,392	66,000	6,986
Purchase of treasury stock	(503,159)	(290,881)	(392,772)
Payments of Dividends	61,704	38,587
Receipts (payments) related to noncontrolling interest, net
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(551,471)	(263,468)	(385,786)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0	0
Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	5,439	9,955	14,768
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net
Sale and redemption of marketable securities and restricted investments - net
Payments to Acquire Equity Method Investments
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities
Investment in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans
Return of investments in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Investments paid intercompany
Intercompany investing activites (to) from consolidated entities	(401,908)	226,511	(14,733)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(401,908)	226,511	(14,733)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes	400,000	455,483
Proceeds from loans payable
Debt issuance costs	(3,531)	(4,449)	(35)
Principal payments of loans payable
Repayments of senior notes		(687,500)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Purchase of treasury stock
Payments of Dividends
Receipts (payments) related to noncontrolling interest, net
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	396,469	(236,466)	(35)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	0	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	523,136	292,802	116,116
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(28,064)	(20,439)	(27,835)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities and restricted investments - net
Payments to Acquire Equity Method Investments	(1,676)	(3,744)	(2,637)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	29,242	58,610	32,857
Investment in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans
Return of investments in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired		(83,088)
Proceeds from Dividends Received			5,000
Investments paid intercompany		(45,000)	(5,000)
Intercompany investing activites (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	(498)	(93,661)	2,385
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Proceeds from loans payable	590,000	250,068	550,000
Debt issuance costs			(4,868)
Principal payments of loans payable	(679,184)	(538,527)	(714,089)
Repayments of senior notes
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Purchase of treasury stock
Payments of Dividends
Receipts (payments) related to noncontrolling interest, net
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company
Investment received intercompany
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	45,205	39,082	(149,703)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(43,979)	(249,377)	(318,660)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	478,659	(50,236)	(200,159)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	533,204	583,440	783,599
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	1,011,863	533,204	583,440
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow (used in) provided by operating activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	68,995	469,948	(22,737)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net	(168)	(8,433)	(591)
Sale and redemption of marketable securities and restricted investments - net		7,418	10,000
Payments to Acquire Equity Method Investments	(25,815)	(118,590)	(67,018)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities	103,948	136,895	14,949
Investment in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans	(966)	(710)	(1,133)
Return of investments in foreclosed real estate and distressed loans	4,765	13,765	49,619
Acquisition of a business, net of cash acquired
Proceeds from Dividends Received
Investments paid intercompany
Intercompany investing activites (to) from consolidated entities
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities	81,764	30,345	5,826
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from issuance of senior notes
Proceeds from loans payable	2,040,835	1,370,975	1,893,496
Debt issuance costs
Principal payments of loans payable	(2,010,980)	(1,460,830)	(1,783,496)
Repayments of senior notes
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans
Purchase of treasury stock
Payments of Dividends
Receipts (payments) related to noncontrolling interest, net	30		404
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company	(6,000)		(5,000)
Investment received intercompany		45,000	5,000
Intercompany financing advances (to) from consolidated entities	(183,937)	(326,088)	(178,612)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(160,052)	(370,943)	(68,208)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(9,293)	129,350	(85,119)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	179,625	50,275	135,394
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 170,332	$ 179,625	$ 50,275