The Zine

Thoughts, ideas, news, and discoveries from the team behind 7PM.

Business

A skyscraper under construction with a tower crane emerging from low cloudBusiness

The Contingency Conversation

In a market where input prices swing double digits and lead times run to years, the contingency line is not padding. It is the most honest number on the page — if you are willing to explain it.

By Carl Brazley · 5 min read
A wheel loader working a construction site with staged materials in the backgroundBusiness

The Decision You Make Before the Drawings

Public owners are moving to progressive design-build and CMAR faster than at any point in a decade. The delivery method you pick shapes the project more than any design choice that follows it.

By Carl Brazley · 7 min read
A highway construction laydown yard with staged pipe, precast, and materials

Steel, aluminum, and copper carry the heaviest tariffs in years, and input prices are climbing at the fastest pace since 2022. Here is how we are writing volatility into a number a client can trust.

By Carl Brazley · 6 min read
A blue Liebherr tower crane against an overcast sky on a construction site

The data-center boom is rewriting what a large project looks like — and pulling skilled trades off every other job in the market, ours included. Here is how we are reading it from Louisville.

By Carl Brazley · 6 min read