Supplemental Guarantor Information (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2011	Jul. 31, 2010	Jul. 31, 2011	Jul. 31, 2010
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 42,108	$ 27,302	$ 24,752	$ (53,853)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization			17,123	13,955
Stock-based compensation			10,419	9,366
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation			0	(3,595)
Impairment of investment in unconsolidated entities			39,600
Income from unconsolidated entities and non-performing loan portfolio			(29,783)	(4,817)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated entities			7,417	7,211
Inventory impairments	16,812	12,508	34,861	88,220
Expenses related to early retirement of debt	3,414	658	3,414	692
Deferred tax benefit			4,329	(14,687)
Deferred tax valuation allowances			(4,329)	14,687
Change in fair value of mortgage loans receivable and derivative instruments			628	(537)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
Increase in inventory			(208,204)	(142,109)
Origination of mortgage loans			(457,383)	(417,985)
Sale of mortgage loans			504,724	395,191
Decrease in restricted cash			36,681
(Increase) decrease in receivables, prepaid expenses and other assets			(2,955)	8,143
Increase (decrease) in customer deposits			18,090	(9,735)
(Decrease) increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses			(38,045)	(48,404)
Decrease in income tax refund recoverable			141,590	112,141
Decrease in income taxes payable			(56,461)	(16,410)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			46,468	(62,526)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net			(6,927)	(1,452)
Purchase of marketable securities			(420,087)	(105,450)
Sale of marketable securities			318,372
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities and non-performing loan portfolio			(42,141)	(55,628)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities			26,285	7,246
Net cash used in investing activities			(124,498)	(155,284)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Redemption of senior subordinated notes			0	(47,872)
Redemption of senior notes			(48,437)	(36,064)
Proceeds from loans payable			666,659	610,071
Principal payments of loans payable			(715,131)	(691,776)
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans			23,731	7,273
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation			0	3,595
Receipts related to noncontrolling interest			2,678
Purchase of treasury stock			(463)	(500)
Net cash used in financing activities			(70,963)	(155,273)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents			(148,993)	(373,083)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period			1,039,060	1,807,718
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	890,067	1,434,635	890,067	1,434,635
Toll Brothers Inc. [Member]
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	42,108	27,302	24,752	(53,853)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Stock-based compensation			10,419	9,366
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation				(3,595)
Deferred tax benefit			4,329	(14,687)
Deferred tax valuation allowances			(4,329)	14,687
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
(Increase) decrease in receivables, prepaid expenses and other assets			(141,264)	(56,243)
(Decrease) increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses			(2,304)	(1,774)
Decrease in income tax refund recoverable			141,590	112,141
Decrease in income taxes payable			(56,461)	(16,410)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			(23,268)	(10,368)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from stock-based benefit plans			23,731	7,273
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation				3,595
Purchase of treasury stock			(463)	(500)
Net cash used in financing activities			23,268	10,368
Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization			2,416	2,453
Expenses related to early retirement of debt	3,414	658	3,414	658
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
(Increase) decrease in receivables, prepaid expenses and other assets			40,368	24,086
(Decrease) increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses			2,239	8,867
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			48,437	36,064
Cash flow from financing activities:
Redemption of senior notes			(48,437)	(36,064)
Net cash used in financing activities			(48,437)	(36,064)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	41,395	93,808	24,701	6,977
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization			14,055	12,153
Impairment of investment in unconsolidated entities			10,000
Income from unconsolidated entities and non-performing loan portfolio			(16,725)	(3,720)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated entities			7,316	7,211
Inventory impairments			34,861	80,470
Expenses related to early retirement of debt		658		692
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
Increase in inventory			(85,962)	(42,996)
Decrease in restricted cash			38,584
(Increase) decrease in receivables, prepaid expenses and other assets			(202,418)	(72,014)
Increase (decrease) in customer deposits			7,067	(3,218)
(Decrease) increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses			75,257	(144,899)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			(93,264)	(160,002)
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net			(3,756)	(1,367)
Purchase of marketable securities			(420,087)	(105,450)
Sale of marketable securities			318,372
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities and non-performing loan portfolio				(26,510)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities			40,485	7,246
Net cash used in investing activities			(64,986)	(126,081)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Redemption of senior subordinated notes				(47,872)
Principal payments of loans payable			(11,377)	(40,464)
Net cash used in financing activities			(11,377)	(88,336)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents			(169,627)	(374,419)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period			930,387	1,700,351
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	760,760	1,325,932	760,760	1,325,932
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	26,075	1,551	15,458	(4,042)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization			652	(651)
Impairment of investment in unconsolidated entities			29,600
Income from unconsolidated entities and non-performing loan portfolio			(13,058)	(1,097)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated entities			101
Inventory impairments				7,750
Change in fair value of mortgage loans receivable and derivative instruments			628	(537)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
Increase in inventory			(122,242)	(99,113)
Origination of mortgage loans			(457,383)	(417,985)
Sale of mortgage loans			504,724	395,191
Decrease in restricted cash			(1,903)
(Increase) decrease in receivables, prepaid expenses and other assets			259,948	110,733
Increase (decrease) in customer deposits			11,023	(6,517)
(Decrease) increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses			(112,985)	88,048
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities			114,563	71,780
Cash flow from investing activities:
Purchase of property and equipment - net			(3,171)	(85)
Investment in and advances to unconsolidated entities and non-performing loan portfolio			(42,141)	(29,118)
Return of investments in unconsolidated entities			(14,200)
Net cash used in investing activities			(59,512)	(29,203)
Cash flow from financing activities:
Proceeds from loans payable			666,659	610,071
Principal payments of loans payable			(703,754)	(651,312)
Receipts related to noncontrolling interest			2,678
Net cash used in financing activities			(34,417)	(41,241)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents			20,634	1,336
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period			108,673	107,367
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	129,307	108,703	129,307	108,703
Eliminations [Member]
Cash flow from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	(67,470)	(95,359)	(40,159)	(2,935)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Expenses related to early retirement of debt		(658)		(658)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities
(Increase) decrease in receivables, prepaid expenses and other assets			40,411	1,581
(Decrease) increase in accounts payable and accrued expenses			$ (252)	$ 1,354