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The Birch Bluff home at dusk, approaching the front of the house across the lawn

The Residence

25725 Birch Bluff Road

Excelsior, Minnesota · Plans by AVA Studio, St. Louis Park · Drawn to the 2020 Minnesota State Residential Code

Bedrooms
5
Finished
5,912 sq ft
Levels
3
Garage
4 cars
Grade to ridge
35′-4″
Rendering

The house · A101

Built Around A 22-Foot Kitchen

The main level runs from a sun room under a vaulted ceiling, through the living room and its gas fireplace, to a 22′ 8″ kitchen with island seating for five, a study and an 18-foot pantry. A 39-foot covered deck sits off the back.

Upstairs, four bedrooms share the floor with the laundry. The primary suite has a center vaulted ceiling, a 16-foot walk-in closet and a bath with a freestanding tub and a curbless shower.

The walkout lower level adds a family room with its own gas fireplace, an entertainment area with a bar and wine cooler, an exercise room and the fifth bedroom.

Area schedule, from sheet A101
LevelSpaceSq ft
LowerFinished basement1,716
LowerMechanical room105
LowerPatio464
MainMain level2,246
MainFront porch226
MainCovered deck464
MainGarage, four cars1,725
UpperUpper level1,950
Finished living area5,912

From The Flythrough

The Walk Up, Frame By Frame

The house at dusk from the front corner of the lawnRendering
Front cornerFlythrough · 0:00
The house at dusk from across the front lawnRendering
Across the lawnFlythrough · 0:02
The front of the house at duskRendering
Front elevationFlythrough · 0:04
The two-story window tower beside the arched entryRendering
Window towerFlythrough · 0:06
Entering the house through the tower windowsRendering
Through the glassFlythrough · 0:08
The foyer with the oak stair and iron chandelierRendering
Foyer and stairFlythrough · 0:10

A102 · Elevations

All Four Elevations

The front is drawn at 3/16″ = 1′-0″, the other three at 1/8″ = 1′-0″. Open any of them for the full sheet.

Front elevation drawing of the Birch Bluff home, sheet A102Front elevationA102 · 3/16″ = 1′-0″Left elevation drawing of the Birch Bluff home, sheet A102Left elevationA102 · 1/8″ = 1′-0″Right elevation drawing of the Birch Bluff home, sheet A102Right elevationA102 · 1/8″ = 1′-0″Rear elevation drawing of the Birch Bluff home, sheet A102Rear elevationA102 · 1/8″ = 1′-0″

Floor Plans

Walk Every Level, Room By Room

A103 · A105 · A107 · 1/4″ = 1′-0″

Lower level floor plan, sheet A103Main level floor plan, sheet A105Upper level floor plan, sheet A107

A105 · Main levelPick a room on the plan

A105 · 1/4″ = 1′-0″

Main Level

Finished area
2,246 sq ft
Sheet
A105
Also on this level
Plus 226 sq ft front porch and 464 sq ft covered deck
  • Kitchen island seating for five
  • Living room fireplace with built-ins
  • Sun room under a vaulted ceiling
  • 39-foot covered deck, T&G ceiling

5,912 sq ft finished across three levels · four-car garage, 1,725 sq ft

A108 · Assemblies, outside to inside

What The Walls, Roof And Foundation Are Made Of

Roof

From the shingles in

  1. 30-year architectural asphalt shingles
  2. 15 lb asphalt felt
  3. Ice and water shieldFirst 6′-0″ up from the eaves, and every valley
  4. 1/2″ plywood sheathing with clips
  5. Engineered roof trusses at 24″ on centerEnergy heels keep the insulation full depth at the eaves
  6. R-49 blown-in insulationAir chutes keep the soffit vents open
  7. 4-mil poly vapor barrier
  8. 5/8″ gypsum ceiling board

Walls

From outside to inside

  1. LP SmartSide lap siding and shakes, or brick veneerWhere the A102 elevations call for each
  2. Tyvek house wrap
  3. 7/16″ OSB sheathing
  4. 2×6 studs at 16″ on centerDouble top plate
  5. R-21 fiberglass batt insulationFills the 5 1/2″ stud cavity
  6. 4-mil poly vapor barrier
  7. 1/2″ gypsum board

Floors and rims

Top to bottom

  1. 3/4″ OSB subfloor
  2. 20″ engineered web trusses at 19.2″ on center
  3. 7/16″ OSB rim sheathing
  4. 2×4 continuous ribbon board
  5. R-21 closed-cell foam at the rimsDuraseal or equal
  6. Treated 2×8 sill plate with sill sealWhere the house meets the foundation

Foundation

From the outside face down

  1. Weather-resistant protective coatingDown to 6″ below grade
  2. Nudura membrane approved for ICF
  3. 8″-core Nudura ICF block wallsRebar per the manufacturer
  4. 1/2″ anchor bolts, 7″ embeddedWithin 12″ of each corner
  5. #4 × 2′-0″ dowels at 72″ on center5″ minimum embedded
  6. 20″ × 8″ concrete footings5,000 psi minimum
  7. Drain tile to a sump pump

Basement slab

Top to bottom

  1. 4″ concrete slab
  2. 2″ XPS foam insulation
  3. 6-mil vapor barrier
  4. 4″ granular compacted fill
  5. Passive radon systemVent pipe labeled at each floor, per A110

Questions about this house

Short Answers From The Plan Set

How big is the house at 25725 Birch Bluff Road?

The house has 5,912 square feet of finished space on three levels: 1,716 on the walkout lower level, 2,246 on the main level and 1,950 upstairs. The four-car garage adds 1,725 square feet, and there is a 464 square foot covered deck, a 226 square foot front porch and a 464 square foot patio.

How many bedrooms does it have?

Five. Four are upstairs, including a primary suite under a center vaulted ceiling with a 16-foot walk-in closet and a bath with a freestanding tub and a curbless shower. The fifth bedroom is on the walkout lower level.

What are the walls, roof and foundation made of?

The exterior walls are 2×6 studs at 16 inches on center with R-21 batts, OSB sheathing and house wrap. The attic gets R-49 blown-in insulation under 30-year architectural shingles. The foundation walls are 8-inch-core Nudura insulated concrete forms on 5,000 psi footings.

Who drew the plans?

AVA Studio of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, drew the 13-sheet plan set, A101 to A113, to the 2020 Minnesota State Residential Code. The renderings and the flythrough on this site are illustrations based on those plans.

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