Is your goal to create an area at ground level free of the obstructions caused by the columns OR do you also want to increase the height of the newly-created open space?
When you twist his arm into actually using some minimal amount of steel, his guys aren't going to pull it up when the trucks show up.
Proceed accordingly.
4' wainscoting of half an LP Smartside panel. Then 8' green drywall above that. Used a stick of Smartside and some oak cove as the "chair rail."
Probably not what you want, but it's a durable way to cover 12'+ of walls in a finished garage.
I agree.
The verticals are supporting the joist.
And the framer could have sandwiched them in instead of face nailing them. Which would have been a huge improvement. And run the scabs longer on the joint.
Too much reliance on nails for my liking.