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I have someone asking me what they are worth. He has one in good condition. Doesn't come with anything but a mag. No pics. GB said around 900$. Any insight?

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Polytech doesnt make the M1A, that's Springfield Armory Inc.'s M14 pattern rifle. Polytech makes the M-14/S. I'd say $900-$1000 based on condition.

ETA: forgot to ask, if its a heel marked or side marked receiver? Expect the heel marked version to fetch the higher end of the price range.

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I've seen a couple in the EE go for $800

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You see them from 800-1100. So that Sounds about right.

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Ah ok.

I will ask about where the markings are. Why would that up its value?

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They are earlier imports, generally cleaner markings and M14 guys like the markings on the heel as thats where they are 'supposed to be' on an M14.

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One last question. Why are these worth so much? Seems like they have mixed reviews and for a little bit more money you can get into a springfield M1a.

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I'm far from an expert, but I think Polys have forged receivers, M1As are cast.

Also "they are banned", so that probably helps it along a bit.

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When did SA go to cast receivers?

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Cast receivers were shown to last around 250,000 rounds, forged, 400,000 rounds. If made properly to dimension, both are perfectly fine, the number of people that will burn up 20 rifle barrels per firearm are very few and far between.

The quality of the parts inside the firearm make a bigger difference, the newer SA's are middlin, the old ones that were chock full of USGI parts are good to go. I own 3 SA's including a Devine TX one, the newest one has a 48K SN range, all are pretty much USGI save for the receiver.

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Cast receivers were shown to last around 250,000 rounds, forged, 400,000 rounds. If made properly to dimension, both are perfectly fine, the number of people that will burn up 20 rifle barrels per firearm are very few and far between.

The quality of the parts inside the firearm make a bigger difference, the newer SA's are middlin, the old ones that were chock full of USGI parts are good to go. I own 3 SA's including a Devine TX one, the newest one has a 48K SN range, all are pretty much USGI save for the receiver.

Don't forget, the Norc's have some screwy thread pitches, crap wood stocks, and someone [not sure if Norc] had issues with rear sights jumping out of alignment.

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Chinese M14-type rifles were considered desirable because of the receiver which is forged, and they were only game in town for a long time if you wanted a forged receiver.  People often purchased the whole rifle and stripped it down to the receiver to build a rifle with USGI parts.  Some would keep the barreled action, and replace the bolt with one that was USGI.  Sometimes, fitting a USGI M14 bolt to a Chinese receiver required some light machine work, or careful work with a dremel tool.  Some claimed the bolts were soft, or the bolt lugs out of spec.  Smith Enterprises claimed some receivers were soft, and would heat treat the receiver to the proper hardness for a fee.  They also fit USGI bolts to Chinese receivers.

Some Chinese parts are not interchangeable with USGI components:  

1.  Rear sight components use metric threads.  I have read (but do not know) that rear sight parts were soft.
2.  Barrel is torqued into the receiver, and a set screw of soft material is used to hold it in place.  Why?  I don't have a clue.  Barrel can be removed and replaced with USGI barrel, but you have to be careful not to bugger that screw before you remove the barrel.
3.  Threads on the barrel are metric, so a USGI gas cylinder lock and flash suppressor castle nut won't work on a chinese barrel (a USGI flash suppressor will, however).  
4.  Gas cylinder is manufactured from carbon steel, as opposed to USGI gas cylinders which are manufactured from stainless steel.  I'm assuming the gas cylinder lock plug uses metric threads as well.
5.  Chinese Operating Rod spring guide pin is shorter and a different diameter than USGI parts.  If you put a USGI stock on a Chinese rifle without replacing this pin, the pin will walk out and render the weapon inoperable.  Replace with a USGI pin, or glue a piece of popsicle stick on the inside of a USGI stock to prevent the pin from walking out of place.
 

SA, Ind., Armscorp, Fulton Armory, Federal Ordnance, and some others out there made rifles with investment cast receivers.  I believe Smith Enterprises made some cast receivers as well (along with billet steel and forged).  SA, Inc. added material to parts of their receiver to compensate for being cast.

Many of the current SA, Inc. M1A parts are manufactured in Taiwan.  

There are several domestic manufacturers of forged receivers now.  LRB, James River Armory, and Bula Defense all currently make excellent forged receivers, and they can be purchased either as a stripped part or as complete rifles.  Smith Enterprise made a run of forged receivers recently.  Entreprise Arms made a receiver of billet steel, but they were a mixed bag in terms of quality.

All that said, everything I've read about Chinese rifles are that they are better than the internet would have you believe.  Even if the barrel components do use metric threads, the barrel steel is good, the chrome lining is excellent, and the barrels are reported to be quite accurate.  The op rod is a one-piece forging of good quality, and the gas cylinder is of good quality as well.   I have read, but cannot confirm that some of the parts in Chinese trigger groups are soft.  Faulty trigger groups don't seem to be much of a problem for those that own them, so it may be just more internet bullshit.  The stocks made of Chu wood were ugly as Hell, but they could be replaced with a USGI stock with the minor modification(s) mentioned above.