Foundation Bricks (Material Costs) → “The clay for the towers has doubled—$1.9 million per mile now, up from $935k last year—making each mile a skyscraper in its own right.”

Labor Mortar (Worker Investment) → “Trowels and scaffolds are pricier too, with labor climbing $1.15 million/mile. More hands, more mortar, more money, more drama on the site.”

Miscellaneous Scaffolding (Contingencies & Variable Costs) → “Throw in unpredictable scaffolds, permits, and mystery beams, and the tower swells another $1.9 million/mile. Every skyline has its hidden costs.”

Right-of-Way Pillars (Land & Access) → “Acquiring space for the towers? Up 88% from last year—ROW pillars now cost $735k/mile. Muddy ground, rivers, or highways? Extra scaffolding required.”

Revenue Spires (Oil & Gas Earnings) → “Meanwhile, some towers are glittering: net incomes are hitting record heights. Gas towers climbed 8.75%, oil towers 14%, with revenues climbing alongside—the skyline is expensive but dazzling.”

Expansion Wings (Pipeline Growth Trends) → “Longer lines tend to thin the per-mile cost like spreading bricks over more scaffolds. Dense urban zones? Higher costs, of course. Each crossing, swamp, or rocky patch adds extra layers of steel and concrete.”

Observation Deck (My Thoughts 💭) → “W/ these skyrocketing materials and labor, even tech can’t easily flatten the cost. Meanwhile, the owners of these towers are lounging at the top, counting shiny revenue bricks.”

⸻

Materials set the tower’s base, labor layers the bricks, miscellaneous scaffolds fill in gaps, ROW pillars support the structure, and revenue spires glitter at the skyline’s tip.

Clever tools won’t magically reduce the expense when every brick costs a fortune.