well.... cheap and fake are in the eye of the beholder.

I think my in laws have some of this stuff in their bathroom, I think it looks nice. I'm not sure if theirs was a sheet product or individual boards, I would think individual boards would be preferable.

I'm also willing to bet there are multiple styles and manufacturers of the products.

maybe get the contractor to show you a sample, or send you to his supplier to look at it.

You might want to post this on the Home Decorating forum. The divas over there probably know more about how the PVC versus all-wood wainscoting looks, both right after it's been painted and how it holds out across the years (even though it hasn't been around for all that long).

But I will add that if an all-wood bead board is painted properly, it should be fine in a bathroom. Wood has been in bathrooms for the past century and people keep putting wood in. The problem would come from standing water in contact with the bead board for a period of time. If you install a wooden base board on the bead board, then quarter round, and finally clear silicone where the wall meets the floor, I can't imagine that the properly sealed wood bead board would be damaged, any water would not get to it quickly.

Ask the contractor what the difference is in price. I be the PVC stuff is so much cheaper and easier for the installers to work with.This is undoubtably something that benefits the contractor, not you. I would demand real wood. And make sure the edges are properly sealed. In fact, if there is a base board, he can even float the bead board up a quarter or half an inch so it's not in contact with the floor at all. The base board or quarter round will cover the gap.

Agree with the others. This is an item that you best put your own eyes on prior to approving it.

Some PVC materials are glass-smooth, and that surface might just look too slick and synthetic. Others have an embossed wood grain that is too obvious and too repetitive. Others have just enough detail and variation in them to look "natural".

Keep in mind the other trim in your bath as well, especially door and window casings that this wainscot will butt in to. If they are synthetics, then perhaps a whole bathroom of synthetics would blend better than a mix and match.

Properly primed and painted wood will work well in a bathroom.

If he leads you towards MDF beadboard as an alternative, I recommend you steer clear of that in a bathroom.