SMU selected Marpac to provide preconstruction and construction services for its new 67,000 square-foot, 262-bed residence hall with an adjacent 159 stall surface parking area. The sophomore wing offers single and double suites and shared baths while the freshman wing offers two-bed suites with common down-the-hall baths. The three-story building contains many features intended to promote community among the resident students, including a community lounge and kitchen, espresso café, conference room, laundry room, fitness room, and computer lab. During preconstruction, our estimate indicated that the project was significantly over budget. Marpac provided over $456,000 of cost-saving ideas, which enabled the building owner to stay on budget by reducing the construction cost by $234,000. Redesigning the building foundation to use thickened slab edges in lieu of standard continuous footings and stem wall foundations was just one of the many ideas that the owner accepted.