This is a 14x44ft unfinished basement part of an addition to an older home. Part of this space is a crawl space (14x18ft, 2.5ft tall), the other part is a normal height area (14x26ft, 7ft tall). For the crawlspace area, the joists on one side rest on the concrete, but on the other side they’re just pressed against it. For the normal height area, they are supposed on both sides. This seems strange to me but I’m not 100% sure if it’s an issue?
Since these joists are not supported any other way, nails are not adequate and joist hangers are needed (and required by building code). This is also a possible indication that work was not done by a professional and the addition(s) might have been completed without a permit.
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Also another question: would you expect to see columns and a beam to support this for such a large space? Or would proper support for the joists on each side be sufficient for a 14x44 foot space?
That’s for the builder/engineer to decide. You just report the improper joist attachment.
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Measure the height of the joist, e.g. 5.5", 7.5" to figure out if they are nominal 2x6s or 2x8s or 2x10s. Then measure the spacing between joists, e.g. 16 or 24 on center. If you are in western U.S. they are likely douglas fir. If you are in the southeast they are likely southern yellow pine. With that information you should be able to find an appropriate span table online that will tell you how far they can be applied between supports (beams or ledgers).
Some examples: If those are 2x8s, 16 inch on center, then they can span around 12 feet. If they are 2x10’s, 16 inch on center, then they can span around 15 feet.
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There should be joist hangars installed on the end of the joists.
Unless you have the prints and can see that it was built to spec, you should consider hiring a Structural Engineer for further evaluation.
What’s the age of the home, and the addition? A lot has changed over the years. I still remember when hangers were not as common as some would think.
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Yup, i’d call it improper attachment and then recommend further evaluation by a qualified engineer.